New Biblical Fiction Novel from Jill Eileen Smith

 

Daughter of Eden by Jill Eileen Smith

 

This book takes the account of Eve from the book of Genesis and imagines some of the conversations and emotions that Eve and Adam and their children might have had.  Since the Biblical account is not very detailed, the author adds some likely details to the story.

This was a fascinating read for me because of the amount of thought that the author had to put into her book.  She had to imagine what it would have been like for Eve to be created, to live in a perfect garden with her perfect husband, and to commune with God.  Then she had to relay to readers what the fall of Eve and Adam would have been like, and how the consequences of it would have dogged Eve for the rest of her life.

The author’s writing was convincing and brought me into the story.  I could easily imagine Eve’s pain, discomfort and disappointment in the fallen world, and especially her despair over the death of Abel and the banishment of Cain.  And this emotional connection kept me reading, especially since I knew the outcome of the story.

Readers who enjoy biblical fiction, especially by Jill Eileen Smith, will enjoy this story and find themselves wanting to dig deeper into the Genesis account of the first woman.  I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for this, my honest review.

Riveting Spy Novel

 Code Name Edelweiss by Stephanie Landsem

Liesl Weiss is a secretary just trying to keep her family together after the disappearance of her husband.  Her mother, younger brother and 2 young children depend upon her to provide for them.  When she is let go from her job at MGM studios, she is desperately seeking employment and finds it in a most unlikely position as a spy for a Jewish lawyer.

This story had lots to enjoy.  The characters were well written and complex.  The historical setting was enlightening. The plot had enough intrigue to keep me reading and wondering what would happen next. It seemed that the author set up the ending to lead into a sequel, which I look forward to reading.

I received a complimentary copy of this advance reader copy in return for this, my honest review.  

 

 

 

Mesu Andrew's Latest Biblical Fiction Novel

 

In Feast or Famine by Mesu Andrews

This book is the continuation of Joseph’s story begun in Potiphar’s Wife.  It chronicles his rise to power, his marriage to Asenath and his reunitement with his brothers.  As usual, Mesu uses her skills as a researcher to recreate the world of ancient Egypt.  While her description of its politics and religion were not my favorite parts of the novel, they were key to understanding the elements of the plot. 

I did enjoy how she created realistic characters with motivation that drove the plot.  She answered questions I had asked regarding Joseph’s marriage to a priestess mentioned in the Biblical account.  I appreciated how her non-Hebrew characters came to trust in Elohim due to the lives of His followers.  And as always, she includes redemption and some unforeseen plot twists!

Readers who enjoy Biblical fiction will find much to like in this novel.  I am grateful to the publisher for a complimentary copy in return for my unbiased opinion.

Erin Bartel's Newest Novel

 

Everything is Just Beginning by Erin Bartels

This is Erin Bartels newest book about Michael Sullivan, a lost soul struggling to find his direction in life.  He has been kicked out of the band he helped form.  By way of an unintended invitation, he ends up attending a New Year’s Eve party for the famous musical family living across the street.  He strikes up an unlikely friendship with their daughter and as the title says, everything for him is just beginning.

This is a story of second chances, music, mastadons, and forgiveness with so many interesting facets to the plot.  Even though the main character is a broken young man who has very little in common with me, I was immediately taken in by the story and found it hard to put down.  There are many references to the music industry that music lovers will appreciate.  At the end of the story, I still had some questions but found most of the loose ends were tied up.

The characters were so realistic and well-written.  I particularly came to respect Deb and the life she and Dusty lived despite their fame.  Michael’s character was very layered and I appreciated the way his character grew and learned that a person’s back story can affect their present decisions.

I really enjoyed this book and would love to read a sequel to find out what became of Natalie and Michael and their adventures in the music world of New York.  I am grateful to the publisher for a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for this, my honest review.

Unusual Spy Story

 

The Brilliance of Stars by J’nell Ciesielski

This was a very unusual book, and personally not my type of story.  But that being said, I do have to commend the author for her creativity and the amount of research she did to write it.  Her characters were out of the ordinary and their banter was very witty.  The plot moved quickly and centered on the three main characters, Jack, Ivy and Philip.  They were part of a crack assassin team tasked with taking out an arms dealer in the time period between the two great wars. 

Besides the amount of killing the story contained, there was little to no mention of God or faith in the story line.  It was a clean read, even though Jack and Ivy get married and spend their wedding night while on assignment.  The author handled that with discretion.

The ending left the reader certain that a sequel will follow and gives hints of the nemesis that they will attempt to foil.  Readers or historical fiction may enjoy this truly different book and the characters of Jack, Ivy and Philip.  I received a complimentary copy of this from the publisher and this is my honest opinion.

 

A Quirky Book from a New-to-Me Author

 Venus Sings the Blues by Buck Storm 

Bones is a lost boy in Paradise, Arizona. He ends up at the Venus motel and lounge because his foster home has kicked him out. His life, and the lives of the customers and owner of the motel are changed when an unusual stranger rides up on his Harley and wrangles his way into a job playing piano in the lounge. Although Jimmy plays jazz like a pro, his real claim to fame is the metal box he brings with him. The box makes anything placed inside it disappear. The box becomes the center of controversy, attracting a world-class illusionist, a despairing cowboy, a comical pair of thieves and a drunken but famous author. 

I loved this story! It had so many pluses. It had a plot that was interesting but not easy to guess. The characters were realistic, quirky and flawed. The setting was unique. The writing was excellent. The dialog made me laugh at times. The message made me think. As a writer, Buck Storm reminded me of Billy Coffey and Tedd Dekker, two of my favorite authors. I plan to read Buck Storms’ other books now. 

I highly recommend this book. I think it would especially appeal to non-Christian readers as it is not preachy but gives the reader a lot to ponder. It has references to alcohol and cigarettes and affairs, so it is not sanitized but handles these realistically.  I am grateful to the publisher for a complimentary copy of the ARC in exchange for this, my honest review.  

Complicated Family Relationships

 Walking in Tall Weeds by Robin W. Pearson 

Author Robin Pearson writes a family drama rooted in the south. It centers around Paulette, her husband Frederick, and their son McKinley. Paulette senses that something is not right about her family, and she tries her best to draw her son back into the fold of his family during the brief time he will be home for her birthday. Her son does have a secret that keeps him at a distance from his mother and she longs for the closeness they had when he was learning at her kitchen table. But not only does she feel distanced from her son, but things are not the way they should be with her husband either. As the story goes on, the reader realizes that this family’s relationships are further complicated by the secrets they keep.

 

Robin writes realistically about the relationships. She explores the relationship between a mother and her son, and about the relationship between a long-married husband and wife. She also explores the relationship between black people and white people and how their relationships are complicated by their past.

 

I enjoyed reading this book because it presented an unfamiliar point of view of black people in Christian fiction, as well as covering the more familiar topic of complicated family relationships. Readers of women’s fiction will enjoy this book. I am grateful to Tyndale House publishers for the complimentary copy of the ARC.