Brave: The Story of Ahinoam; King David's Brides #1 by Mesu Andrews

 

About the book:

Title: Brave: The Story of Ahinoam; King David's Brides #1

Author: Mesu Andrews

Publisher: Bethany House

Pages: 384

In the tumultuous world of ancient Israel, Ahinoam--a fierce and unconventional Kenite woman--flees her family farm with her dagger-wielding father to join the ragtag band of misfits led by the shepherd-turned-warrior David ben Jesse. As King Saul's treasonous accusations echo through the land, Ahinoam's conviction that David's anointing makes him Yahweh's chosen king propels her on a perilous journey to Moab, only to encounter hardship and betrayal. Amid the unforgiving Judean wilderness, Ahinoam forges an unexpected bond with David's sister, Zeruiah. Through her Kenite metalworking heritage, Ahinoam gains respect among David's army, and the soldiers' wives offer friendship. However, scarred by painful past relationships, Ahinoam isolates to avoid new friendships and refuses to acknowledge her growing feelings for the renegade king. As Ahinoam's heart grapples for footing, King Saul's army closes in, and Ahinoam must confront the true meaning of love, loyalty, and courage. Is she brave enough to love Israel's next king?Bestselling author Mesu Andrews presents a gripping biblical-era series, weaving a narrative of resilience and the transformative power of faith.

Goodreads || Barnes & Noble || Amazon || Baker Book House

My Thoughts:

When I first started reviewing I read Jill Eileen Smith's David's Wives series which starts with Michal so imagine my surprise when I found out there was a wife before Michal named Ahinoam. David is my absolute favorite Bible hero. Every year when I read 1 Kings and he dies I cry.

Mesu Andrews has not only the skill to take biblical history with her creative license and write an amazing story, but she also wraps it in the beautiful word of God.

This story is poignant and shows dedication to family. Ahinoam is one of the bravest women I've read about; her determination is something to be revered. 

Ms. Andrews is a go-to for biblical fiction. I've read everything she has published, to my knowledge. If you enjoy biblical fiction this is a must-read.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

About Mesu Andrews

MESU ANDREWS is the Christy Award-winning author of Isaiah’s Daughter and has received numerous accolades for her other novels including Of Fire and Lions, Love Amid the Ashes, The Pharaoh’s Daughter, and Miriam. Her deep understanding of and love for God’s Word brings the biblical world alive for readers. 

Many of her faithful readers are members of her launch team—Mesu’s Biblical Fiction Fans (BFFs)—and offer their time and service to promote God’s word through story. Andrews lives in North Carolina with her husband Roy and enjoys spending time with her tribe of grandchildren.

Website || Facebook || Instagram || Twitter  

Top Ten Tuesday Featuring Books I Loved Reading in School

Welcome to another edition of Top Ten Tuesday sponsored by that Artsy Reader Girl. Today's topic is books I loved or hated reading in school. I wasn't jumping up and down for assigned reading necessarily, but it did give me an excuse to read past my bedtime.

Elementary school. I think 2nd or 3rd grade.

Elementary school 2nd grade

I'll never forget this book. I was in 5th grade and my teacher read it aloud after lunch.

Middle school

High school, Junior year

Middle school

I think I read this in 6th grade.

I believe I read this in 4th or 5th grade.

High school, Junior year.

High school my freshman year.

So, did you read any of these books in school? Did you love them or hate them? Let me know in the comments.

Top Ten Tuesday - Featuring Books On My Fall TBR

 

Happy Tuesday and welcome to another edition of Top Ten Tuesday sponsored by that Artsy Reader Girl, today's topic is the books on your fall reading list.

If you follow me on social media you are probably aware that at this time last week, my dear daddy went home to be with Jesus. For the most part, I am okay. As my girls and I say to each other "I'm upright." It's the truth. 

Some viruses go after the body. But the Nightmare Virus goes after the mind.When dream technology goes wrong, a virus spreads across the globe, trapping people in a universal dreamscape. They call it the Nightmare Virus.Cain Cross is determined to find a cure . . . if he can decipher his brother’s chicken-scratch formula notes. But when he gets infected, he has only 22 days until he’s trapped in the mental prison forever. Now, every time he falls asleep, he must fight in a Nightmare Arena until he earns his freedom to live in the “new world” that exists only in the mind.

                                                           

Aside from a delay, there will be no problems. The flight will be smooth, it will land safely. Everyone who gets on the plane will get off. But almost all of them will be forever changed.

Because on this ordinary, short, domestic flight, something extraordinary happens. People learn how and when they are going to die. For some, their death is far in the future—age 103!—and they laugh. But for six passengers, their predicted deaths are not far away at all

How do they know this? There were ostensibly more interesting people on the flight (the bride and groom, the jittery, possibly famous woman, the giant Hemsworth-esque guy who looks like an off-duty superhero, the frazzled, gorgeous flight attendant) but none would become as famous as “The Death Lady.”  

     

In the tumultuous world of ancient Israel, Ahinoam--a fierce and unconventional Kenite woman--flees her family farm with her dagger-wielding father to join the ragtag band of misfits led by the shepherd-turned-warrior David ben Jesse. As King Saul's treasonous accusations echo through the land, Ahinoam's conviction that David's anointing makes him Yahweh's chosen king propels her on a perilous journey to Moab, only to encounter hardship and betrayal. Amid the unforgiving Judean wilderness, Ahinoam forges an unexpected bond with David's sister, Zeruiah. Through her Kenite metalworking heritage, Ahinoam gains respect among David's army, and the soldiers' wives offer friendship. However, scarred by painful past relationships, Ahinoam isolates to avoid new friendships and refuses to acknowledge her growing feelings for the renegade king. As Ahinoam's heart grapples for footing, King Saul's army closes in, and Ahinoam must confront the true meaning of love, loyalty, and  courage. 

Charlie Newberg is sure about one thing: Nicole Lemaire is the woman God wants him to marry. There's a slight problem, though—he's already left her once. The day before their wedding.

But he's got a plan. The marketing firm she works for is the ideal choice for promoting his new film. Collaborating will give him the perfect chance to propose again, so he conspires with her boss to make sure she runs the campaign for the same documentaries he left her to shoot.

Despite Nicole's resistance, the two work well together. But Charlie's going to need more than teamwork to convince the jilted bride to give him a second chance. In fact, he might need to fall in love in a way he's never really understood.

The late middle ages. England’s king seeks to recover the French lands of his ancestor William the Conqueror and claim the continental throne. France’s king aspires to seize the remainder of his royal vassal’s lands and retain his throne. So begins the Hundred Years’ War, the backdrop against which the formidable Wulfriths of the AGE OF CONQUEST and AGE OF FAITH series continue their tale.

SCOURGE OF THE ENGLISH

Chevalier Amaury de Chanson, once the King of France’s prized privateer on the high seas, has been through the crucible of battle and betrayal. Believed to have perished during an English siege, after years of enslavement by an old adversary, he escapes. Vengeance burning bright, he resolves to destroy his enemy’s pirating operations. Arriving in England where his orphaned son has become the ward of the formidable Baron Wulfrith, he encounters the man’s sister. When Lady Fira unmasks his disguise, Amaury is forced to flee with her to keep her out of enemy hands. As they navigate lands fraught with danger, he is drawn to the woman whose spirit stirs a long-dormant heart, further complicating his quest. Then there’s the secret she holds close… Caught between a longing for justice and feelings he dare not indulge lest the dark of him slay the light of her, will he choose redemption and a future with Fira, or will the tides of vengeance sweep both into the abyss?

KEEPER OF THE BOOK OF WULFRITH

As keeper of her family’s history, Lady Fira anticipates expanding her part in their tale once she weds. When that hope and her independence is threatened by an illness some believe evidence of evil, she hides her symptoms lest her protective family reduce her life to little more than a threadbare tapestry. While continuing to research Wulfrith lore and hone her archery skills, a covert outing places her in the path of the vengeful, long-lost sire of her brother’s ward, entangling her in his bid to escape an enemy who has traded the sea for land. Though secretly thrilled to embark on an adventure, when their flight forces her to act as no lady should and her illness jeopardizes their lives, her courage and faith are tested. And more so with her heart seeking to claim his amid mounting peril. Will he risk his quest for vengeance—even his life—for a woman whose affliction is destined to keep them apart?

Kizzie McAdams spent her childhood longing to see beyond the mountains of home, but when her job as a servant in a landowner’s house results in an unplanned pregnancy, her world tips into uncertainty and heartbreak. Disowned by her father, she seeks comfort in the arms of the man who promises to take care of her, but his support is conditional and inconsistent. She finds acceptance in the home of a nearby family who not only offer Kizzie friendship but point her to a deeper understanding of God’s love.

Despite her change of heart, her status as a social outcast brings with it continued threats and alienation so she flees her past in hopes of starting over in a nearby town. But her new world carries many of the same prejudices as the old. It also brings the unexpected friendship of businessman Noah Lewis, a man who lives with the same desire as Kizzie for helping the marginalized.

Unfortunately, Kizzie and Noah’s attempts to help those in need pit them against Noah’s elder brother, a powerful mill owner who holds control of the family finances. Is Kizzie and Noah’s growing romance strong enough to battle family power, social expectations, and Kizzie’s past to capture their happy ending? And when Kizzie’s first love returns to claim her, which future will she choose? 

Young playwright Melina Green has just written a new work inspired by the life of her Elizabethan ancestor Emilia Bassano. But seeing it performed is unlikely, in a theater world where the playing field isn’t level for women. As Melina wonders if she dares risk failure again, her best friend takes the decision out of her hands and submits the play to a festival under a male pseudonym.

In 1581, young Emilia Bassano is a ward of English aristocrats. Her lessons on languages, history, and writing have endowed her with a sharp wit and a gift for storytelling, but like most women of her day, she is allowed no voice of her own. Forced to become a mistress to the Lord Chamberlain, who oversees all theatre productions in England, Emilia sees firsthand how the words of playwrights can move an audience. She begins to form a plan to secretly bring a play of her own to the stage—by paying an actor named William Shakespeare to front her work.

Told in intertwining timelines, By Any Other Name, a sweeping tale of ambition, courage, and desire centers two women who are determined to create something beautiful despite the prejudices they face. Should a writer do whatever it takes to see her story live on . . . no matter the cost? This remarkable novel, rooted in primary historical sources, ensures the name Emilia Bassano will no longer be forgotten.

As 1754 is drawing to a close, tensions between the French and the British on Canada's Acadian shore are reaching a fever pitch. Seamstress Sylvie Galant and her family--French-speaking Acadians wishing to remain neutral--are caught in the middle, their land positioned between two forts flying rival flags. Amid preparations for the celebration of Noël, the talk is of unrest, coming war, and William Blackburn, the British Army Ranger raising havoc across North America's borderlands.

As summer takes hold in 1755 and British ships appear on the horizon, Sylvie encounters Blackburn, who warns her of the coming invasion. Rather than participate in the forced removal of the Acadians from their land, he resigns his commission. But that cannot save Sylvie or her kin. Relocated on a ramshackle ship to Virginia, Sylvie struggles to pick up the pieces of her life. When her path crosses once more with William's, they must work through the complex tangle of their shared, shattered past to navigate the present and forge an enduring future.

The Titanic was only the beginning. What she survived has become legend. What she survived has become legend. Inspired by true stories of survival and resilience, Unsinkable entwines the lives of two women, one from World War 1 and another from World War 2, as they face adversity and take hold of the second chances given to them.

Violet Jessop is Miss Unsinkable.

After her mother becomes too ill to work, the responsibility to provide for the family falls to Violet as the oldest of nine. When the world enters the Great War, she serves as a nurse, helping men who could very well be her brothers. Working as a stewardess and wartime nurse, Violet not only survives a shipwreck but also two sinkings, one on the infamous Titanic. No one can understand why she would return to sea, but something keeps drawing Violet back to the tumultuous waters, where she struggles to put the tragedies of her past behind her and pursue a life and love all her own.

Daphne has survived calamity of her own.

Daphne Chaundanson grows up as an unwanted child after her mother died in a tragedy. She throws herself into education, collecting languages like candy in a desperate attempt to finally earn her father's approval. When the Special Operations Executive invites her to be an agent in France in World War II, her childhood of anonymity and her love of languages make her the perfect fit. She sees it as an opportunity to help the country she loves and live up to her father's expectations. But the dangers of war challenge Daphne in ways she never could have expected, and the secrets from her own past must be faced for her to truly have a future beyond the conflict--if she can survive it.

California, 1938—When she loses her parents in an accident, sixteen-year-old Rosanne is taken in by the owners of the vineyard where she has lived her whole life as the vinedresser’s daughter. She moves into Celine and Truman Calvert’s spacious house with a secret, however—Rosie sees colors when she hears sound. She promised her mother she’d never reveal her little-understood ability to anyone, but the weight of her isolation and grief prove too much for her. Driven by her loneliness she not only breaks the vow to her mother, but in a desperate moment lets down her guard and ends up pregnant. Banished by the Calverts, Rosanne believes she is bound for a home for unwed mothers, and having lost her family she treasures her pregnancy as the chance for a future one. But she soon finds out she is not going to a home of any kind, but to a place far worse than anything she could have imagined. 

Austria, 1947—After witnessing firsthand Adolf Hitler’s brutal pursuit of hereditary purity—especially with regard to “different children”—Helen Calvert, Truman's sister, is ready to return to America for good. But when she arrives at her brother’s peaceful vineyard after decades working abroad, she is shocked to learn what really happened nine years earlier to the vinedresser’s daughter, a girl whom Helen had long ago befriended. In her determination to find Rosanne, Helen discovers that while the war had been won in Europe, there are still terrifying battles to be fought at home.

So, how many of these beautiful books have you read or are planning to read. Please let me know in the comments!

Top Ten Tuesday . . . Books With Food In The Story

Happy Tuesday and Happy September! Life kinda sucks right now. My dad has Alzheimer's and the Hospice nurse told me that she believes he is in the final decline. I'm only posting this to explain why there is a lack of posting on my blog.

A Saturday night get-together supper club.

A Brunch Cafe

A Coffee Company  

Book three of Becky Wade's Bradford Sisters. Britt has a chocolate shop, and you'll be craving chocolate as you read it.

Food truck

Professional chef

A taco truck and lots of cilantro. 

A baking competition.

I hope you had a wonderful Labor Day and I also hope if you haven't read these books that you add them to your ever-growing TBR. 

Ten Posts I’ve Written That Give You the Best Glimpse of Me

 

Happy Tuesday!! Today's prompt from That Artsy Reader Girl is about past posts I've written whether on my blog, Instagram, or Facebook that will give you the best glimpse of who I am.

1. https://frommipov.blogspot.com/2019/05/thank-you-for-making-me-who-i-am.html

2. I prefer college to pro but I love football all the same!

3. Character's that remind me of me. https://frommipov.blogspot.com/2019/05/characters-that-remind-me-of-me.html

 

4. Coloring

https://www.instagram.com/p/C3QtAbAShit/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

5. Hanging with bookish peeps!

6.       Coloring is a stress reliever for epilepsy so, I do it a lot!

 

7. Long Playing Tape

                             

8. Seeing God Work

9. Having Songs of Joy

                     

10. I may not have a period anymore but my brain thinks I do. So, epilepsy type number 2.

This was a fun post to put together. I hope to read yours today.

Between Sound and Sea by Amanda Cox Reviewed

 

About the book:

Title: Between The Sound and Sea

Author: Amanda Cox

Every family has its secrets. Josephina Harris wouldn't mind if her family still had a few of their own after a lawsuit tarnishes their name. When an opportunity opens to become a temporary keeper of a decommissioned lighthouse on a North Carolina island, she jumps at the chance to escape her small town to oversee its restoration.

As the work begins, "Joey" discovers strange notes tucked deep in the crevices of the old stone walls--pages torn from a lighthouse keeper's log signed by someone named Mae who recounts harrowing rescues at sea. Fascinated by a woman lighthouse keeper, Joey digs into the past only to discover there's never been a record of a lighthouse keeper by that name.

When things start to go amiss on the island, locals are convinced that it is the ghost of the lighthouse keeper and his daughter who were lost at sea during World War II. As Joey sifts through decades of rumors and legends and puts together the pieces of the past, what emerges is a love story--one that's not over yet.

Multiple Christy Award winner Amanda Cox is your guide upon the raging seas of young love, heartbreaking loss, and learning to risk it all for a chance at happiness in this timeless novel.

Goodreads || Amazon || Barnes and Noble || Baker Book House

My Thoughts

I'm a huge lover of lighthouses and have been since the old Gaither song The Lighthouse. So, when I discovered this book centered around one I knew I had to read it. The book is also located in a place which I am somewhat familiar with. It hit all the must-read buttons for me.

Amanda Cox writes a story that has romance, and mystery that feels scavenger hunt all at the same time.

This book is very character-driven and I fell in love with both Joey and Finn. Walt added what I would call old-guy snark.

Will to Finn : Sexism and ageism all in one breath. Son, you better check yourself before you wreck yourself." The boy looked at him like he'd been sucker punched. "Excuse me?"

I enjoyed the characters that Ms. Cox created and hated to see them go. I also enjoyed seeing redemption woven into the story. 

Amanda Cox is an author who knows how to create a story that takes a reader on both an external and internal journey.

Discliamer: I received a copy of this book via the publisher. I was not required to write a review all thoughts and opinions are my own.

About Amanda Cox

Before becoming a stay-at-home parent, Amanda spent her time counseling children, families, and individuals through life’s challenging moments. Now she uses those same skills to develop layered characters and stories, bringing them on a journey of hope and healing. A journey she hopes her readers experience in their own lives as they read.

Amanda is the Christy Award-winning author of The Edge of Belonging, The Secret Keepers of Old Depot Grocery, and He Should Have Told the Bees. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Bible and theology and a master’s degree in professional counseling, but her first love is communicating through story.

A few of her favorite things are the sanctuary of the great outdoors, the feeling of pen on paper, the sound of her children’s laughter, and exploring new places with her husband of 19 years. (Oh, let’s not forget good fiction and good coffee. She’s addicted to both.).

You can connect with Amanda on the following social media sites.

Instagram || Facebook || Twitter / X || Website

Harriet Hurry-Up and the Oh-So-Slow Day! by All Zobel Nolan - Just Reads Blog Tour

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Harriet Hurry-Up and the Oh-So-Slow Day! by Allia Zobel Nolan, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: Harriet Hurry-Up and the Oh-So-Slow Day!
Author: Allia Zobel Nolan
Illustrator: Alexandra Colombo
Publisher: Kregel Children's Books
Release Date: August 13, 2024
Genre: Children's Story Book

"Can you send me some patience, God? Please?" 

Harriet's mom calls her Harriet Hurry-Up--and it's easy to see why. There's nothing this little girl can't stand more than waiting. From a slowpokey sun that won't rise before she does, to the shy sprouts on her school potato experiment, to the long line at the store with Mom, everything takes forever for Harriet. Why, oh, why can't this day just go faster? 

But with her Gran's help, this impatient little girl is learning to trust God's timing and find the blessings he puts in every single day--if she can just slow down long enough to see them. 

With rhymed text that kids will love and colorful, whimsical illustrations full of surprises, Harriet Hurry-Up and the Oh-So-Slow Day! will quickly become a family favorite. It's perfect for birthdays, back-to-school reading, and for anyone--child or adult--who finds that having patience is hard.  

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | ChristianBook | Bookshop

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My Thoughts

This book has big bright illustrations that kids will love and one that is perfect for bedtime reading. Especially, if you talk to your child about their day.

Harriet doesn't do anything slowly so when her day drags on for many different reasons and some things don't go her way she gets even more frustrated. The beauty of this sweet little story is when her Gran shows her the blessing in waiting and all that God does to make each day special, she just needs to slow down a bit to be able to see them and enjoy them.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book via the publisher. I was not required to write a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

About the Author

Allia Zobel Nolan is the author of over 150 traditionally published titles. Her books reflect her two main passions: God and cats. Recent titles include Cat Confessions: A Kitty-Come-Clean Tell-All Book (over 130,000+ copies sold); The Worrywart’s Prayer Book, winner of the gold medal first place 2022 Indie Book Award for Christian Non-Fiction; Laugh Out Loud:40 Women Humorists Celebrate Then and Now...Before We Forget, finalist in the 2019 Indie Book Awards for Humor, the classic bestselling children’s book, What I Like About Me: a Book about Differences, and the sequel, What I Like About You: a Book About Acceptance finalist in the   2020 Indie Book Awards for Children’s Picture Books. God Made Us Just Right, from Kregel Publishers, won a 2022 Catholic Media Award for best children’s book. Her latest picture book Harriet Hurry-Up and the Oh-So-Slow Day is currently on presale and will be published August 13, 2024. She lives and writes with her husband, Desmond, their two fur babies, Nolan Nolan, and Colleen Fiona Shannon, and their recently-adopted shelter dog, Miss Kitty, in New England.

Connect with Allia by visiting alliawrites.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.

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Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will win a signed copy of Harriet Hurry-Up and the Oh-So-Slow Day, a Harriet doll, and book-themed gift items!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight August 21, 2024 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on August 28, 2024. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!