The Reluctant Queen by Joan Wolf

I have just started reading this book and it has proven to be a wonderful pick up.  The author keeps you guessing as to what will happen and you want to keep reading.  Beautiful cover, beautifully written.  You feel as if you are living right there in Persia with Esther.  You feel her heartache and pain and her joy.  You see how God works all things out for His good not ours. 

An inspiring re-imagining of the tale of Esther, a young Jewish woman thrust from a life of obscurity into a life of power, wealth, intrigue . . . and tender love.
See the story of Esther in an entirely new way-with all the political intrigue and tension you remember, but told as a passionate and tender love story between a young man and woman. Misunderstood by many, King Xerxes was a powerful but lonely man. Esther's beauty caught the eye of the young king, but it was her spirit that captured his heart.

Imagine anew the story of Esther, one of our faith's great heroines, destined to play a key role in the history of Christianity. More here.

Joan Wolf was born in New York City but has lived most of her adult life with her husband in Connecticut, where she raised two children and countless numbers of assorted animals. Joan is the author of numerous historical novels including The Road to Avalon which Publishers Weekly lauded as “historical fiction at its finest.”

For more about Joan and her other books, please visit www.joanwolf.com.

See the Author Interview here.  Sorry I was going to post it here and forgot so now you have to follow a link I'm truly sorry.  

Link to buy the book

Blog tour schedule

To celebrate Joan Wolf’s debut Christian Fiction title, A Reluctant Queen, Joan and her publisher, Thomas Nelson, have teamed up to give away A Reluctant Queen prize package worth over $150!

One grand prize winner will receive:

* A brand new Latest Generation KINDLE with Wi-Fi and Pearl Screen

* A Reluctant Queen by Joan Wolf (for KINDLE)

To enter, just click one of the icons below. But, hurry, the contest ends on June 20th. Winner will be announced on June 21st during Joan’s A Reluctant Queen Book Club Party on Facebook (details below)! Hope to see you there – bring your friends!

Join the fun on June 21st! 

Joan will be wrapping up the blog tour and Kindle giveaway promotion during her A Reluctant Queen FACEBOOK party on her FB author page. During the party she'll announce the winner of the Kindle, host a book chat discussion, test your trivia skills (Is Esther's story in A Reluctant Queen fact or fiction?), and more. Don't miss this chance to meet the author and make some new friends!



A copy of this book was provided for this review by...

Pearls in the Sand by Tessa Afshar

Head to Scraps of Life for this book tour.
Click here.

In the Footsteps of Paul by Ken Duncan.

Step back into Bible days as you view the pictures of Paul's time. Ken Duncan brings the life of Paul to life in his photographs. He gives you a birds-eye-view of it all through pictures, scriptures, quotes, historical facts about the land and things about Paul's life. From the very beginning he'll capture your attention with his pictures. Walk where Paul walked through Duncan's book.

Learn about:
the Making of a Man - Paul's years before the Damascus Road experience
the Mission of a Man - Paul's travels throughout the Mediterranean area
the Destiny of a Man- Paul's final trip to Rome

You'll see pictures from all over the Mediterranean area:
Perga, Iconium, Cyprus, Paphos, Antioch, Ceasearea, Syria, Damascus, Tarsus, Lystra, Thessalonica, and many many more.

Some things you will see are:
Damascus Gate, St. Stephen's Gate, St. Peter's Gate, Old Roman Road, Street called Straight, Triumphal Arch, Main street of Ancient Perga, Aegean Sea, Harbors that Paul came into, and so much more.

Duncan brings the book of Acts to life. He has captured beautiful scenery. It's the next best thing to taking the tr yourself. I don't thing you'll be disappointed in the views that he shares with his readers. Just take a step back into Bible times with Duncan and Paul.



For more information about this book click here.

His Name is Jesus by Max Lucado

What better way to start Easter week than with a book review about Jesus, Himself. Travel with Max Lucado through the life of Jesus. What a journey you'll take as you turn the pages. Start in Bethlehem at the Inn, where there was NO ROOM! You'll learn of Jesus' two natures as they intertwine each other: Human & Divine. Go with Max and Jesus as we see His life in Nazareth as a carpenter's son. Then on to His baptism and wilderness journey. Walk with His disciples as He performs the many miracles. Come to His final week on earth - as Judas, His Friend, betrays Him, The Cross, The Resurrection, Then read of His Legacy in the final pages.

Jesus...those who saw him were never the same.

He is the solution for weariness of soul.

These are just a few sayings over top of absolutely beautiful pictures. This book is just loaded with short snippets about Jesus. This book is a very nice hardback gift book in a slipcase cover. The pictures will capture you as well. It's a nice book for leaving set on the coffee table, doctor's office, etc.




For more information on this book click here.

Michal by Jill Eileen Smith

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Michal
Revell (March 1, 2009)
by
Jill Eileen Smith


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jill Eileen Smith is the author of several articles, poems, and stories, and her unpublished novels have placed in five writing contests in the past five years. A children’s story, which she wrote for her church led her youngest son to faith in Christ several years ago; much like a gospel tract led her to the Lord at a similar age.

That story, “Seeking Treasureland,” is now available. Jill is a member of several online writing groups and helps promote fellow authors’ works through monthly interviews on the "Spotlight" page of her website. She, along with her husband and children, are active members in their local church. A stay-at-home mom, she homeschooled the couple’s three sons for twelve years through high school, seeing them go on to higher education.

In her spare time, Jill teaches piano, reads, does picture scrap-booking, and enjoys trying out new recipes, especially those that include dark chocolate. Jill and her family make their home in Southeastern Lower Michigan.


ABOUT THE BOOK

Can their epic search for true love survive a father's fury?
The daughter of King Saul, Michal lives a life of privilege--but one that is haunted by her father's unpredictable moods and competition from her beautiful older sister.

As a girl, Michal quickly falls for the handsome young harpist David. But soon after their romance begins, David must flee for his life, leaving Michal at her father's mercy in the prison that is King Saul's palace.

Will Michal ever be reunited with David? Or is she doomed to remain separated from him forever?

Against the backdrop of opulent palace life, raging war, and daring desert escapes, Jill Eileen Smith takes you on an emotional journey as Michal deals with love, loss, and personal transformation as the first wife of King David. Jill Eileen Smith has more than twenty years of writing experience, and her writing has gathered acclaim in several contests. Her research into the lives of David's wives has taken her from the Bible to Israel, and she particularly enjoys learning how women lived in Old Testament times.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Michal, go HERE

Journey To The Well by Diana Wallis Taylor

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Journey To The Well
Revell (March 1, 2009)
by
Diana Wallis Taylor

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Diana Wallis Taylor, San Diego resident, is an award-winning Christian author and speaker who shares her personal testimony to women’s groups. The Lord gave Diana a desire to write a book about the woman of Samaria who encountered Jesus at Jacob’s Well. It was at the edge of the well where the woman of Samaria found the living water of Jesus.

A native Californian, Diana Wallis Taylor graduated from San Diego State University. She has had many occupations; elementary and junior high school teacher, bookshop owner, and conference director for a Christian college. A poet since the age of 12, she published a book of poems, Wings Of The Wind, in 1994, now republished with watercolor illustrations in 2006. She has received awards in songwriting and poetry and her writing contributions appear in various books and magazines. The author speaks on the woman at the well in conjunction with her own testimony. She also speaks on A Walk in the Darkness, on her family involvement in the occult and how it affected her life.

Diana lives with her husband Frank in San Diego, California and between them they have six grown children and ten grandchildren. In addition to her speaking and writing, she serves on the board of the San Diego Christian Writer’s Guild and is active in Christian Women’s Fellowship.



ABOUT THE BOOK

She went to the well for water. What she found there would change her life forever.

Marah is a young girl in love with her childhood friend, Jesse. When she is forced to marry an older man, she must abandon her dreams of happiness. At the mercy of men who are often only interested in using her, Marah must fight for survival. Will she ever meet a man who can save her?

The story of the Samaritan woman at Jacob's well is one of hope, redemption, and a life changed in an instant through a remarkable encounter. Jesus told her "everything she'd ever done," but we are left to wonder at the circumstances that led her life on such a tragic path to begin with. Now from the creative mind of Diana Wallis Taylor comes the full story of the woman at the well.

This well-researched portrayal of a woman's life in the time of Jesus opens a window into a fascinating world. Taylor's rich descriptions of the landscapes, lifestyles, and rituals mesh easily with the emotional and very personal story of one woman who desperately seeks to rise above the difficult circumstances of her life.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Journey To The Well, click HERE