Jerusalem's Queen: A Novel of Salome Alexandra (The Silent Years) by Angela Hunt

Jerusalem's Queen is about Salome Alexandra who became the queen of Judah when her husband died. This story takes us from her early childhood to her reign as queen in her 60s. It sheds light on a lot of the scriptures in the Old Testament leading up to the New Testament when Messiah arrived on the scene. Like the book before this one in the series, the research has been done well and the story is well crafted -- so much so that I could not put this book down.  I read it through over two days time.


The story is not only about Salome Alexandra but also about her slave that was with her from childhood and throughout the rest of her life. Kissa, the slave, was sold into slavery in Egypt by her parents and brought to Judah and sold to the High Priest at that time (Salome Alexandra's uncle and guardian). The two girls became good friends and both benefited from the association.


Angela Hunt has always been one of my favorite Christian authors, but with the latest series of historical novels about the Jewish High Priests / Kings / Prophets she has really stepped up her game and I can't wait for the next installment.


I received a copy of this story from Bethany House through NetGalley.

The Reluctant Warrior by Mary Connealy

Cam is a former army officer who finds himself in a situation where he is snowed in with the folks who rescued his daughter and nephew from a wagon train massacre which killed his brother.  He and his sister came to claim the children and ended up snowed in for the winter with Gwen and her sister Deb and Deb's husband Travis. Deb and Travis met up in the first book of this series.  This is the second book.  In true Mary Connealy style, there is a crooked varmit that is trying to make everyone's life miserable and they have to end up tracking him down. Gwen and Cam are attracted to each other and repelled by each other at the same time because they both want the two children. 


I read this book in about 24 hours (not straight through but I started and finished the book in the same 24 hour period.  It was that good!  I couldn't put it down.  Mary Connealy is one of my favorite authors and I don't think she has written anything that I haven't read just as soon as it came out.  The only drawback to that is that I have to wait a few months for the next installment in a series like this.  I am eagerly anticipating the third book in this series!


I did receive a digital copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher Bethany House in exchange for an honest review.

Hidden Among the Stars by Melanie Dobson

This story takes us back and forth between the present and a bookstore owner who gets an antique book with some intriguing notes in it and starts to research the origin and the people whose lives were affected by the circumstances surrounding the book.  The second part takes place in Austria leading up to WWII. 

I can’t say enough good things about this book.  The story was intriguing and solving the mystery was not a simple task.  This book kept me wondering throughout.  I am normally not a fan of WWII books, mostly because my daughter is a big fan and I’ve read way too many of them already, but this one was a cut above the rest.  The research this author must have done was phenomenal and her story-crafting was exceptional. I would definitely read another book by this author in a heartbeat.

I received this book from Tyndale in exchange for a review and I am so glad I did!