The Heart Of A King: The Loves Of Solomon

Jill Eileen Smith is the bestselling and award-winning author of the biblical fiction series The Wives of King David, Wives of the Patriarchs, and Daughters of the Promised Land, as well as the nonfiction book When Life Doesn't Match Your Dreams.  Her research into the lives of biblical women has taken her from the Bible to Israel, and she particularly enjoys learning how women lived in Old Testament times.  Jill lives with her family in southeast Michigan.  Learn more at her website www.jillelieensmith.com.

Get swept away by a story of love, loss, and longing.

King Solomon could - and did - have anything he wanted, including many women from many lands.  But for all of his wealth and wisdom, did he or the women he loved ever find what they were searching for?

In this engrossing novel, find yourself whisked away to ancient Israel, where you'll meet four remarkable women:  Naamah the desert princess, Abishag the shepherdess, Siti the daughter of a pharaoh, and Nicaula the queen of Sheba.  As you experience the world of Solomon through his eyes and theirs, you'll grapple with whether this king's storied wisdom ultimately benefited him and those he loved...or betrayed them.

My Thoughts:
Smith first introduces readers to four of King Solomon's loves in a series of Ebook shorts...The Desert Princess (Naamah's story), The Shepherdess (Abishag's story), Daughter of the Nile (Siti's story), and The Queen of Sheba (Nicaula's story).  In her recent release, The Heart of a King, Smith brings these four loves of King Solomon together with the additional insight of what might have been going through Solomon's heart and mind.  The Heart of a King can be read as a stand-alone book, but reading the Ebook shorts listed above first will greatly enrich your reading experience. 
Smith's telling of King Solomon's story stays close to the biblical narrative and the artistic liberty she takes to fill in the gaps of what Scripture doesn't tell us is rich with historical and biblical research and preserves the integrity of God's Word.  Written in the third person, The Heart of a King is an enjoyable read that holds you captive with great dialogue and vivid descriptions.  Smith masterfully transports readers to another time and place and gives them a look into the life of the wisest but possibly most tormented man to ever live.

*I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher.  All opinions stated here are my own.

Blessings,
Jennifer

Joyful Surrender: 7 Disciplines for the Believer's Life

Elisabeth Elliot (1926-2015) was one of the most perceptive and popular Christian writers of the last century.  The author of more than twenty books, including Passion and Purity and The Journals of Jim Elliot, Elliot offered guidance and encouragement to millions of readers worldwide.

Finding freedom and happiness in divine surrender.

In our age of instant gratification and if-it-feels-good-do-it attitudes, self-discipline is often overlooked.  Yet it may be one of the most important lost virtues of our time.  In Joyful Surrender, former missionary and beloved author Elisabeth Elliot offers her understanding of discipline and its value for people of all times.  She shows you how to...

• discipline your mind, body, possessions, time, and feelings
• overcome anxiety
• change poor habits and attitudes
• trust God in times of trial and hardship
• let Him have control in all areas of life

Elliot masterfully and gently takes you through Scripture, personal stories, and incisive observations to help you discover the understanding that your fulfillment as a human being depends on your answer to God's call to obedience.

My Thoughts:

"There had to be evidence of faith.  The first baby step of faith is followed by a daily walk of obedience, and it is as we continue with Him in His word that we are assured that we were, in fact, called and have nothing to fear."

 "The conditions for discipleship begin with dying."

There are challenge and comfort in Elliot's words.  And, they can be trusted because they come from a life well-lived.  Elliot's exhortations are genuine and come from a long life lived close to God and His Word in faith.  The chapters are short digestible portions making this a book perfect for devotional reading.  I highly recommend this small but mighty book.

*I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher.  All opinions stated here are my own.

Happy Blessed Reading Ya'll,
Jennifer

The Memory House and Giveaway

Rachel Hauck is an award-winning, New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author.

Her book The Wedding Dress was named Inspirational Novel of the Year by Romantic Times Book Reviews. She is a double RITA finalist and a Christy and Carol Award Winner.

Her book, Once Upon A Prince, first in the Royal Wedding Series, was filmed for an Original Hallmark movie.

Rachel has been awarded the prestigious Career Achievement Award for her body of original work by Romantic Times Book Reviews.

A member of the Executive Board for American Christian Fiction Writers, she teaches workshops and leads worship at the annual conference. She is a past Mentor of The Year.

At home, she’s a wife, writer, worship leader and works out at the gym semi-enthusiastically.

A graduate of Ohio State University (Go Bucks!) with a degree in Journalism, she’s a former sorority girl and a devoted Ohio State football fan. Her bucket list is to stand on the sidelines with Ryan Day.

She lives in sunny central Florida with her husband and ornery cat.

For more information, visit www.rachelhauck.com, Facebook (@rachelhauck), Twitter (@RachelHauck) and Instagram (@rachelhauck).

When Beck Holiday lost her father in the North Tower on 9/11, she also lost her memories of him. Eighteen years later, she’s a tough New York City cop burdened with a damaging secret, suspended for misconduct, and struggling to get her life in order. Meanwhile, a mysterious letter arrives informing her she’s inherited a house along Florida’s northern coast, and what she discovers there will change her life forever. Matters of the heart only become more complicated when she runs into handsome Bruno Endicott, a driven sports agent who fondly recalls the connection they shared as teenagers. But Beck doesn’t remember that, either.

Decades earlier, widow Everleigh Applegate lives a steady, uneventful life with her widowed mother after a tornado ripped through Waco, Texas, and destroyed her new, young married life. When she runs into old high school friend Don Callahan, she begins to yearn for change. Yet no matter how much she longs to love again, she is hindered by a secret she can never share.

Fifty years separate the women but through the power of love and miracle of faith, they each find healing in a beautiful Victorian known affectionately as The Memory House.

Click here to read an excerpt!

My Thoughts:

Hauck's latest book, The Memory House, is an emotional journey of love, heartache, faith, and restoration.   With richly developed characters and a blending of past and present, Hauck offers readers much more than just another story.  Hauck takes readers on a journey that draws one in with the very first lines...

"She was never afraid of the dark.  But the light?  Now that terrified her."

The characters in The Memory House all find that the key to embracing their futures is found in remembering their pasts. Hauck gives readers the perspective of each character.  This coupled with genuine dialogue added a depth that kept me engaged from the first page to the last.  This is a story that will stay with me for a long time.  The emotion was palpable at times and I found myself engrossed with the characters as if I was in the middle of the story.  This was a book very hard to put down that now has a prominent place on my keeper shelf.
*I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher.  All opinions are my own.

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Happy Reading Ya'll,
Jennifer

The Edge of Mercy

Heidi Chiavaroli is a writer, runner, and grace-clinger who loves exploring places that whisper of historical secrets.  She is an ACFW Carol Award winner and a Christy Award finalist.  Heidi makes her home in Massachusetts with her husband and two sons.

You can connect with her at www.heidichiavaroli.com.

Two women, three hundred years apart, must face the devastation of all they hold dear...

Suspecting her husband is having an affair, Sarah Rodrigues fights to appear unbroken while attempting to salvage her family.  Though distracted by her own troubles, Sarah is summoned to an elderly friend's deathbed for an unusual request...find a long-lost daughter and relay a centuries-old family story.

Determined not to fail her friend, Sarah pieces together the story of her neighbor's ancestor.  Elizabeth Baker, a young colonist forced into an unwanted betrothal but drawn to a man forbidden y society.

While Sarah's family teeters on the edge of collapse, her world is further shaken by the interest of a caring doctor and a terrible accident that threatens a life more precious than her own.

Inspired by the unconditional love she uncovers in Elizabeth's story, Sarah strives to forgive those who've wounded her soul.  But when light shines on the dark secrets of her neighbor's past and the full extent of her husband's sins, will looking to a power greater than herself rekindle lost hope?

My Thoughts:
Chiavaroli is a master at weaving the past and present in her stories.  While her previous books, The Hidden Side and Freedom's Ring, are exceptional, her recent release, The Edge of Mercy, may be her best yet.  

"The young woman smiled and opened the case that housed Elizabeth's journal.  'Hang in there.' She turned to me, 'I think sometimes we might not recongnize hope until we've been in the darkness.'"

Chiavaroli draws you in from the start with well-developed characters and rich dialogue infused with emotion and authenticity.  

"After my fingers turned raw and numb from sewing the shirts, I was given rest and read from the unstained pages of the Bible. I have read them before, but this time I clung to them.  I am drawn to the suffering of Christ. For the first time I feel a kinsip with this God of the weak.  I think of Caleb's sacrifice for me, of his love.  I am filled with shame.  Over and over I read, and yet one verse I have found my heart clings to, 'And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee; for My power is made perfect through weakness.'  I read this and shed warm tears, for I cannot deny that the words are like sweet balm to my wretched heart. 'Tis nothing but this. 'Tis nothing but His grace and promise and finished work to see me through. 'Tis all I have left to cling to."

The portions of the story told through Elizabeth's journal entries and how they parallel the present day story of Sarah are nothing but pure genius and a writing gift.  Readers will be blessed by Chiavaroli's gift.

*I was given a complimentary early copy of the book.  All opinions stated here are my own.

Happy Reading,
Jennifer

 

Glory Road

Lauren Denton is the author of the USA TODAY bestselling novels The Hideaway and Hurricane Season.  She was born and raised in Mobile, AL, and now lives with her husband and two daughters in Homewood, just outside Birmingham.  Though her husband tries valiantly to turn her into a mountain girl, she'd still rather be at the beach.
Connect with Lauren at www.LaurenKDenton.com as well as on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

The only thing certain is change -
Even in a pace as steady as Perry, Alabama.  On a street as old as Glory Road.

Nearly a decade after her husband's affair drove her back home to South Alabama, Jessie McBride has the stable life she wants - operating her garden shop, Twig, next door to her house on Glory Road, and keeping up with her teenage daughter and spunky mother.  Bur the unexpected arrival of two men makes Jessie question whether she's really happy with the status quo.
When handsome, wealthy businessman Summer Tate asks her to arrange flowers for his daughter's lavish wedding, Jessie finds herself drawn to his continued attention.  Then Ben Bradley, her lingering what-could-have-been from high school, moves back to the red dirt road, and she feels her heart pulled in directions she never expected.
Meanwhile, Jessie's fourteen-year-old daughter, Evan, is approaching the start of high school and navigating a new world of emotions - particularly as they relate to the cute new guy who's moved in just down the road.  At the same time, Jessie's mother, Gus, is suffering increasingly frequent memory lapses and faces a frightening, uncertain future.
In one summer, everything will change.  But for these three strong Southern women, the roots they've planted on Glory Road will give life to the adventures waiting just around the curve.
Glory Road tells the story of three generations of women navigating the uncertain pathways of their hearts during a summer that promises to bring change - whether they're ready for it or not.

My Thoughts:
Glory Road is the first book written by Denton that I have read.  As an avid reader, one of my greatest joys is discovering new to me authors.  In Glory Road, Denton captures small-town Southern life through the relationship of Gus, Jessie, and Evan...three generations of Southern women each at different stages of life.  Denton seamlessly gives us the backstory of each of these women over the course of the story.  I really appreciated getting the story through the eyes of all three women.  Glory Road is a story of love, family, hope, and second chances.  Denton is an author I will be following and catching up on all that she's written while waiting for her next book.
*I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher. All opinions stated here are my own.

Happy Reading Ya'll,
Jennifer

The Rape of Recy Taylor

Recy Taylor, a 24-year-old black mother and sharecropper, was gang-raped by six white boys in 1944 Alabama. A common occurrence in the Jim Crow South, few women spoke up in fear for their lives. Not Recy Taylor, who instead bravely identified her rapists. The NAACP sent its rape investigator Rosa Parks to Alabama, who rallied support and triggered an unprecedented outcry for justice. 

THE RAPE OF RECY TAYLOR exposes the legacy of physical abuse inflicted upon black women and reveals Rosa Parks’ intimate role in Recy Taylor’s story. An attempted rape against Parks was but one inspiration for her ongoing fight for justice for countless women like Taylor. Parks’ 1955 bus boycott was the result of decades of activist work, not the beginning. More and more women are now speaking up after their assault. 

THE RAPE OF RECY TAYLOR shines a light on the black women who spoke up when danger was greatest; it was their noble efforts to reclaim control of their bodies that paved the way for today’s generation of activists. The 2017 Women's March and the ongoing Black Lives Matter movement are directly linked to their courage.



You can enter for your chance to win a $50 Fandango card and the screener of The Rape of Recy Taylor by clicking HERE.

With Women's History Month In March and Sexual Assault Awareness Month in April, now is a powerful time to host a screening of The Rape of Recy Taylor and join our social impact campaign.   Screenings can be for a small woman’s group of 12 or a large school or church group.  Odyssey Impact provides all the materials and guidance you need to host your screening and lead a discussion after.
You can find more information about resources to help you do this by clicking HERE.

My Thoughts:
*I had the opportunity to view the screener of The Rape Of Recy Taylor provided by the producer.  All opinions stated here are my own.

The Rape of Recy Taylor is a tastefully done but very bold documentary.  The documentary incorporates interviews from Taylor's family members, photos and home video footage of her family, as well as historical video and pictures.  Also included in the documentary is commentary from a few people who have studied and analyzed the case of Recy Taylor and provide extremely useful insight.

The documentary gives historical context to this tragic incident in the life of Taylor and shines a glaring light on a piece of history many would like to forget.  This documentary won't let you forget.  And we shouldn't ever forget.  As far as I'm concerned it should be required viewing in every history class in our schools and universities.

Blessings,
Jennifer

Of Fire And Lions

Mesu Andrews is the CBA best-selling and award-winning author of Love Amid the Ashes and numerous other novels, including The Pharoah's Daughter, Miriam, and Isaiah's Daughter.  Her deep understanding of and love for God's word brings the biblical world alive for readers.  Mesu lives in North Carolina with her husband, Roy, and enjoys spending time with her growing tribe of grandchildren.

Exiles in Babylon.
Captives to deceit.
Will the truth set them free?

Belili wears her children's disdain like a heavy cloak.  The weight of their contempt threatens to crush her spirit, but she has perfected the art of survival.  She first learned it when she escaped death nearly seventy years ago as the Babylonians ransacked Jerusalem and took its finest young people as captives.  Years later she survived among idol worshippers and in King Nebuchadnezzar's court by donning an identity that shrouded her with guilt and shame.
She's kept secrets from Daniel, her childhood friend and the love of her life, but as the Medo-Persian Army invades, the thread of Belili's deception unravels and her tightly wound secrets begin to unfurl.
When tensions mount in the land of their exile, Belili will do anything to keep her family safe even though each step leads them closer to the truth.  Will Daniel die in a pit of lions before she can make things right between them?  Or will the God who rescued Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego save her husband and replace her spirit of heaviness with a garment of praise?

My Thoughts:

"Stop badgering your weak friend on earth and start pleading with our powerful God in heaven."

"Yahweh created the heavens and the earth, He divided the waters of the Red Sea, and He summoned a fish to swallow Jonah.  I think he can reveal a king's nightmare to those who trust Him in Babylon."

Andrews' newest book, Of Fire And Lions, releases TODAY!!  With rich historical detail and careful attention to the biblical narrative, Andrews brings to life Daniel's story and the exile.  I so appreciate the richness of Andrew's novels.  In this book especially, Andrews fills in the gaps that Scripture doesn't reveal with her unique approach employing artistic liberty without compromising the integrity of God's Word as given to us in the canon of the Scriptures.  

"He placed his arm around Belili's shoulders and drew her near.  'We've seen Yahweh do impossible things, which has strengthened our faith to endure more impossible things.  We've grown spoiled and lazy in our freedoms, making us afraid to trust Yahweh for the uncomfortable."

"Can you give up your comfortable routine to live in the tension of God's uncharted plan?"

With lines like the ones above, Andrews poses questions within the story's narrative that jump off the page into readers' hearts engaging them in the story from beginning to end.

 "And last of all, I prayed Yahweh could somehow forgive me for surrendering my whole heart and then snatching it up again."

Andrews paints a vivid picture of Daniel's faithfulness and Belili's (his wife) growth in completely trusting God for all things.  Her journey is wrapped up in our journey of learning to completely lean on and rely on Yahweh; to surrender and not snatch up again, and to defend against an exile of our hearts.

Andrews writing drives readers to study the Scriptures for themselves.  I know I turned the last page of Of Fire And Lions with a greater hunger for a study of the Scriptures.  

*I received an advanced complimentary copy of the book from the publisher.  All opinions stated here are my own.

Happy Reading Ya'll,
Jennifer