BOOK REVIEW: Egypt's Sister by Angela Hunt

Five decades before the birth of Christ, Chava, daughter of the royal tutor, grows up with Urbi, a princess in Alexandria's royal palace. When Urbi becomes Queen Cleopatra, Chava vows to be a faithful friend no matter what--but after she and Cleopatra have an argument, she finds herself imprisoned and sold into slavery.

Torn from her family, her community, and her elevated place in Alexandrian society, Chava finds herself cast off and alone in Rome. Forced to learn difficult lessons, she struggles to trust a promise HaShem has given her. After experiencing the best and worst of Roman society, Chava must choose between love and honor, between her own desires and God's will for her life.

This book is so hard to review right now.  When I saw it come across the available titles at Bethany House and NetGalley it captured my attention and I HAD to read it.  Biblical fiction is a favorite genre of mine (well, lets face it there's so few genres that aren't a favorite!). While not exactly Biblical the synopsis definitely fits into the genre.  There's the added bonus of Angela Hunt who is just amazing.  However, the execution didn't quite hit the expectation, at least for me.  Set during the 'Silent Years', this book tells the story of a young Jewish girl, Chava, who is raised with and envisions a lifelong friendship with Cleopatra VII.  The appearances of Cleopatra were few, which was disappointing in a book about her, but Chava's story had potential to be interesting.

There are several things, if you haven't figured out yet, that fell flat for me with this book.  I felt like I was reading a historical text as opposed to a novel about the lives of two historical women, one of which is quite famous as the subject of books, movies and documentaries.  There was so much historical 'filler' that took away from the story.  Just an example, referencing that the battle with Caesar in Alexandria would become known as the Alexandrian War seems out of place for a character to reference something that would come later, most likely after her time.  With all the extra research filler the story tended to drag along.  It read quickly but the story was sluggish.  I don't to pick about everything but another thing that struck me as beyond odd was how quickly Chava became a midwife and trained another midwife.  It felt like 'hey look at me, I successfully delivered a baby and read a scroll, put me in coach!'.  There were a few things that just didn't add up or were just too much that brought this down for me.

It wasn't all drawbacks and sluggishness.  Honestly, my favorite portrayal was of Agrippa.  He was a gentleman, kind, honest and accommodating.  He didn't just look at for number one but for all those he cared about.  Chava, when she was simply telling of her life was engaging.  When the story slipped into research mode that was lost but she kept me in the story.  I promise I didn't totally fall flat on the book.  It left a lot to be desired for me but I love the premise, I adore the author and I think in the right hands this book will be a blessing and become well loved.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by Bethany House and NetGalley.  I was not compensated for this review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.  I was not required to write a positive review.  
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About Angela Elwell Hunt 

Christy-Award winner Angela Hunt writes for readers who have learned to expect the unexpected in novels from this versatile author. With over three million copies of her books sold worldwide, she is the best-selling author of more than 100 works ranging from picture books (The Tale of Three Trees) to novels.
Her books have won the coveted Christy Award, several Angel Awards from Excellence in Media, and the Gold and Silver Medallions from Foreword Magazine’s Book of the Year Award. In 2007, her novel The Note was featured as a Christmas movie on the Hallmark channel. Romantic Times Book Club presented her with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006. 
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BOOK REVIEW: Dark Deception by Nancy Mehl

Kate O'Brien has been leading a quiet life in small-town Shelter Cove, Arkansas, for the past four years when her past suddenly comes roaring back to life. Four years ago, she and her twin sister were attacked by an elusive serial killer. Only Kate survived, and it was her drawing of the attacker--along with some last-minute evidence--that convicted the suspect.

She's been in witness protection ever since, but new evidence suggests the convicted man isn't the murderer and she's been subpoenaed to testify in the new trial. Nervous about the risk, she'll only agree if the same marshal who protected her during the original trial escorts her to St. Louis.

Deputy U.S. Marshal Tony DeLuca accepts the assignment to bring Kate to the trial, remembering how her strength impressed him. While in Shelter Cove, however, he gets a call from his chief, advising them to stay in Shelter Cove until a new development in the case can be straightened out. But when Kate's safety is threatened, Tony must race against the clock to keep her alive and put this ugly case to rest before anyone else gets killed.

There's something to be said for a book that keeps me guessing right up to the very end.  Even when I thought I knew what was what I was only partially right and so way wrong at the same time.  I was drawn to this book when I saw it on my Bethany House list and jumped because I had to read it.  I didn't care that it was second in a series, I was confident that if it didn't read well without the first under my belt that I could grab it from the library.  We are talking mystery, intrigue, a touch of romance, and faith all set in my own backyard.  I mean, we all know a mystery is the way to my heart.  Closely followed by basically almost every other genre there is.  

I got a bit caught up in the conundrum of all the characters.  I had to go back and re-read a paragraph or page a couple of times like 'who was what?'.  Once I had that down it was better sailing through.  There were also all the aliases to be contended with.  While it was somewhat overwhelming with my lack of ability to remember names the story flowed through with so many twists and turns that I was kept guessing at every one.  All in a good way.

Mehl did such an amazing job creating well rounded characters with an intricate story line that drew me in and kept me guessing.   Seriously, one thing that is rare is for me to be 100% in the dark about the 'who did what with which weapon in what room' of a book.  I had ideas that were partly right.  Right person in the wrong roll doing a different thing.  I managed to read this in one setting in just a few hours time, I was so drawn in to the story.  That, is the hallmark of an amazing book.  

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by Bethany House and NetGalley.  I was not compensated for this review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.  I was not required to write a positive review.

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About Nancy Mehl

Nancy Mehl lives in Crystal City, Missouri with her husband Norman and her very active puggle, Watson. She’s authored over twenty-six books and is currently at work on her newest series for Bethany House Publishing and Guidepost Books.
All of Nancy’s novels have an added touch – something for your spirit as well as your soul. “I welcome the opportunity to share my faith through my writing,” Nancy says. “God is number one in my life. I wouldn’t be writing at all if I didn’t believe that this is what He’s called me to do. I hope everyone who reads my books will walk away with the most important message I can give them: God is good, and He loves you more than you can imagine. He has a good plan for your life, and there is nothing you can’t overcome with His help.”

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BOOK REVIEW: With You Always by Jody Hedlund

When a financial crisis in 1850s New York leaves three orphaned sisters nearly destitute, the oldest, Elise Neumann, knows she must take action. She's had experience as a seamstress, and the New York Children's Aid Society has established a special service: placing out seamstresses and trade girls. Even though Elise doesn't want to leave her sisters for a job in Illinois, she realizes this may be their last chance.

The son of one of New York City's wealthiest entrepreneurs, Thornton Quincy faces a dilemma. His father is dying, and in order to decide which of his sons will inherit everything, he is requiring them to do two things in six months: build a sustainable town along the Illinois Central Railroad, and get married. Thornton is tired of standing in his twin brother's shadow and is determined to win his father's challenge. He doesn't plan on meeting a feisty young woman on his way west, though.

Before I even begin this review I am just gonna say it:  I love this book.  If you haven't read the prequel 'An Awakened Heart', available for free download from Amazon and Barnes & Noble, then get it now.  This story follows Elise (you meet her in the prequel) as the financial crisis hits New York City.  Businesses close, job opportunities dry up and even the Seventh Street Mission is affected.  Elise does what she can to protect her sisters and the children they were left in care of.  She's given an opportunity to relocate to the west (Illinois) via the New York Children's Aide Society.  They helped secure transportation via the train to her new opportunities and ensured a job once she arrived.  What they fail to mention is that the working conditions and the pay are just as bad, if not worse than New York.  They also fail to mention how long it will take to pay back travel expenses.  They actually fail to mention a lot.  We'll address that later.  En route to her destination she meets Thornton.  And with many twists and turns history is made.  In more ways than one.  

I've said it before and I'll keep saying it.  Hedlund is a powerhouse for setting a scene that draws you in.  She engages your entire being into the world she creates.  You can smell the stench of unwashed bodies and filth, you can see the haze of coal smoke from the buildings and trains.  You can envision the flat nothingness that is Illinois over the stacked hustle and bustle of people on top of people that was New York.  You may be wrapped up in your cozy reading spot but you are 'there' in the moment that Hedlund takes you too.  You have to look again at your hands to make sure they aren't covered in soot or chapped by manual labor.  When she first introduced the Quincy family I wasn't sure why they mattered a chapter.  But when Elise met up with Thornton on the streets of New York I knew there were important things to come.  

Another thing that Hedlund excels at is her knowledge (read I'm sure days upon days of research) of the time period she is writing and the social and moral issues of the time.  She takes on the plight of poor immigrant families in Lower Manhattan (and the Illinois prairie) as though she was one.  She takes on the inequality of the rich and poor, male and female, adult and child as though she actually experienced all of those things personally.  She does so in a way that is appropriate to the time without coming across as a social injustice warrior attacking where we have come from.  When Elise stands up for what she thinks and gets fired for what she says, well you know that good things are coming.  And like Thornton I am confident there were other's like him that when confronted with things that needed changed made the hard decisions to buck 'tradition' and make those changes.  They weren't many, they weren't common, and they aren't necessarily documented and lauded by history.  Change is slow. Even necessary change.  

Honestly, there's nothing I did not like about this book. The characters spoke to me, the spent hours engaged in their lives.  The story spoke to me and for a small fraction I can almost imagine I was there.  I am ever so grateful to the author, Jody Hedlund, and her publisher Bethany house (via NetGalley) for allowing me the opportunity to pre-review this book.  I know my life is different and I cannot wait for future installments in this series.


I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by Jody Hedlund, Bethany House, and NetGalley.  I was not compensated for this review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.  I was not required to write a positive review.

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 About Jody Hedlund 

Winner of the 2016 Christian Book Award for fiction and Christy Award for historical romance, best-selling author Jody Hedlund writes inspirational historical romances for both youth and adults.

Jody lives in central Michigan with her husband, five busy children, and five spoiled cats. Although Jody prefers to experience daring and dangerous adventures through her characters rather than in real life, she’s learned that a calm existence is simply not meant to be (at least in this phase of her life!).

When she’s not penning another of her page-turning stories, she loves to spend her time reading, especially when it also involves consuming coffee and chocolate.

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BOOK REVIEW: Threads of Suspicion by Dee Henderson

Evie Blackwell's reputation as a top investigator for the Illinois State Police has landed her an appointment to the governor's new Missing Persons Task Force. This elite investigative team is launched with plenty of public fanfare. The governor has made this initiative a high priority, so they will have to produce results--and quickly.

Evie and her new partner, David Marshal, are assigned to a pair of unrelated cases in suburban Chicago, and while both involve persons now missing for several years, the cases couldn't be more different. While Evie opens old wounds in a close-knit neighborhood to find a missing college student, David searches for a private investigator working for a high-powered client.

With a deep conviction that "justice for all" truly matters, Evie and David are unrelenting in their search for the truth. But Evie must also find answers to the questions that lie just beneath the surface in her personal life.

When I saw this book description offered by Bethany House I knew I had to request.  Christian fiction - win.  Mystery - win.  Cold case files - bonus.  I knew it was the second book in a series but since I was getting the eBook version through NetGalley I decided that if I started it lost I'd set it aside and grab the first book before reading and reviewing.  And while I know there is crossover with previous character development it worked just fine on it's own so I just kept on reading.  Knowing full well I'll go back and grab the first book too, because I can and want to.  Not have to mind you but want to.  As I was reading I didn't expect to get so caught up in the lives of all those involved.  Evie with her boyfriend and her hard decisions about taking the next step.  David and his super famous fiance and their hard decisions about taking the next step.  The cold cases they were working and the lives that were changed because of what happened, and never knowing for sure what happened.  The way their totally unrelated cases overlapped into each other and intertwined with their personal lives.  All of it was engaging.  Which makes me wonder how on Earth anyone can write a synopsis of a mystery that is engaging without giving anything away?  I feel like I always miss the mark but gravy if I'm throwing out spoilers!

There were a couple of drawbacks for me in this book, outside a mostly positive overall experience.  First, at times the faith in the book felt awkward.  Even the times where it fit into the story so well it took an awkward feel to it as though 'I've got to get as much in here as possible so if a little is good a lot is better'.  That approach is sorta like salt and cooking.  When it's the right amount in the right food it's perfect.  A lot doesn't make it better.  And even a little in the wrong thing doesn't work either.  It wasn't a huge negative but I think the edges could have been smoothed a bit.  The other biggie was the lack of scene segues or even just scene breaks period.   A conversation one day goes right into another thought the next day.  An inner monologue between two different days doesn't really do it either.  I'd have to go back and reread a paragraph or two just to make sure I hadn't totally missed something.  I didn't it just didn't break naturally.  So, that out of the way lets talk good stuff.

And good stuff there is.  Henderson does an amazing job of writing a mystery with real people and real lives that draws you in.  I care about these characters, I care about their victims and I care about their lives.  And when the mysteries were solved I was taken right into it.  Evie's mystery?  Kept me guessing right up to the end.  Though how on earth those bones weren't found on accident during a scuffle or some roughhousing (I guess you have a baby spoiler there) I will never understand.  They just appeared too easily for how little physical effort it took.  But it took me through to the very end.  That makes an amazing mystery to me!  Like I said, this book had characters that I engaged with and I can't wait to go back and read the first book.  And the upcoming books in this series!

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by Bethany House and NetGalley.  I was not compensated for this review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.  I was not required to write a positive review. 

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About Dee Henderson

Dee Henderson is the author of 14 best-selling novels, including the acclaimed O'Malley series and the Uncommon Heroes series. As a leader in the inspirational romantic suspense category, her books have won or been nominated for several prestigious industry awards, including the RWA's RITA Award, the Christy Award, the ECPA Gold Medallion, the Holt Medallion, the National Readers' Choice Award, and the Golden Quill. Dee is a lifelong resident of Illinois and is active online.
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BOOK REVIEW: The Chapel Car Bride by Judith Miller

Hope Irvine always sees the best in people. While traveling on the rails with her missionary father, she attracts the attention of a miner named Luke and a young mine manager. When Luke begins to suspect the manager is using Hope's missions of mercy as a cover for illegal activities, can he discover the truth without putting her in danger?

Hope grew up living with her Aunt after her mother passed away and while her father worked in the Chapel Car Ministry.  Now that she is grown and her Aunt has passed as well, Hope decides to join her father on the rails.  He's not so sure but she's convinced it's where God needs her to be.  When they arrive in the mine town of Finch, WV; the assignment from the association, she is more than convinced when she meets Luke and their friendship blossoms.   Kirby, the mine owners son is banished to Finch by his father as a means of attempting to straighten his broken path through the illicit side of life and attempt to interest him in the family business.  In his desire to win a flirtatious fling with Hope he signs on to provide the means to make improvements for the miners' families.  He's never there for the actual work but he does make a few things happen.  But, is Finch really going to straighten his path or will he find a new way to engage in illicit activities for the rush?

I looked forward to this book when I was notified by Bethany House that I was approved to receive it.  Chapel Cars are something I didn't even know was a thing and I was excited for the opportunity to learn more.  It was obvious that the author had done their research on the ministry as well as the areas in which the story was set.  The attitudes and personalities of the mine communities were well portrayed.  However, there were so many other areas where the story fell flat and never recovered.  Just a heads up, I'll use the term flat a lot.  I probably should pull the thesaurus and find synonyms but ya get flat.

The characters were flat with very little depth making them difficult to bond with. That's a biggie for me.  Bonding with characters, loving or despising them draws me into whatever story they have to tell.  Kirby seemed developed at first but faded to flatness.  Hope is too perfect with very little to create a rounded character.  Luke is the same, yes he struggles with feeling judgemental and gets called on that by perfect Hope, but he has reason to feel that way.  Ad without that would the story have ever developed?  Even supporting characters weren't well defined which left them adding little to the story, as well.  A lack of connection with character creates a lack of connection with the story line.  The story line fell flat too.  Too many things that should have been and could have been used to build plot and characters were glossed over.  When the Reverend has the accident at the rebuilding of the church and everyone races down the hill to get to him and transported to the doctor's.  The intensity ended right there.  He's in the doctor's while they are all banished from the room.  And it never picked back up.  They aren't certain what happened to cause him to fall, some pretty big things are thrown out with no followup.  He's got a bit of amnesia but that's glossed over.  His entire recovery is glossed over.  It missed every single option it had to add to and build to the story.  What about the mine explosion?  Not a rare thing to happen in a coal mine, though not an everyday occurrence either but it was left to hang.  Everyone races to the mine to help and recover the miners inside.  The inspectors come in and Kirby throws out some ideas and makes a few things happen in one paragraph but then it's never followed up on.  Big introduction then a fade to nothing with in a few paragraphs.  So much could have been done with that to bolster the story and the characters.   With flat characters comes a flattened plot and flatter storytelling.  This book had the promise of all the right elements but failed to become dimensional.  The first half of the book took forever for me to get through.  I'd read for chapter breaks where typically chapter breaks are my reason to have to stop so that the sleep thing can attempt to happen. The book has promise and I am glad I chose to finish it, however I would be selective of the audience I would recommend it to.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by Bethany House.  I was not compensated for this review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.  I was not required to write a positive review.
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About Judith Miller
Judith McCoy Miller is an award-winning author whose avid research and love for history are reflected in her bestselling novels. Judy and her husband make their home in Topeka, Kansas.

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