20 Questions!

So a Twitter friend posted this last year I think, and I loved it and decided it should be a blog post. So here goes. :) (These are answers relating to fiction works. I read lots of non-fiction too.)

1. My favorite genre to read last year was fantasy/allegory and historical fiction. So far I seem to be continuing that trend. I loved finding new authors and the ones I found usually wrote from those two genres. I love historical fiction because I can learn things while having people and places come alive through past events. I love fantasy because really it's someone writing about our world and our lives, just in another place and setting.

2. Currently I'm rereading Chuck Black's Kingdom and Knights of Arrethtrae series. I'm on book 3, Kingdom's Edge, and it's every bit as good as it was the first time. (So were 1 and 2, too.) It's like an extended allegory of the Bible, including Shadow and Silent Warriors (representing demons and angels, respectively). Jewish history, and the Messiah, and daily life combined, and it is written simpler for younger people, but adults love them too.

3. The first book I remember loving was Norman the Doorman. I haven't seen any other kid read it ever and I don't even know if it's being published anymore (that makes me feel old). It's about a mouse, and it was a horizontally long book (not the regular size or square kids books). It had lots of pictures and I remember asking dad to read it over and over again. I still remember phrases from it. The first chapter books I remember loving were The Black Stallion series, and the Misty of Chincoteague series. Both about horses...animals I still love and ride today. The list of books I loved just grew from there on.

4. A book series I wish would be adapted to film would be the Kingdom/Knights of Arrethtrae series and Black's other series Wars of the Realm. A stand alone book I wish would be made into a movie would be Crowning Heaven (Emily Hayse), Pendragon's Heir (Suzannah Rowntree) or Counted Worthy (Leah E. Good).

5. This one is hard...favorite protagonist is probably Ben from War of Loyalties (Schuyler McConkey) or Reese from the Oneness series (Rachel Starr Thomson). I really can't decide. :P

6. Favorite antagonists really aren't my thing. I don't tend to like them at all and typically can't imagine them being a favorite. I'll keep thinking...

7. I wrote simple stories for school when I was little, but I'm not a story writer as such. I do remember writing a story about a dog sled team and about a rabbit who needed a friend, but I've written non-fiction and poetry in greater quantities as I've gotten older.

8. So I used to believe the Lord of the Ring movie series were better than the books. However, having read them through a second time, I have changed my mind. The books are so full of amazing quotes (so are the movies), and rereading them makes me just want to read them again. However, I will say that the Hobbit movies are better than the book (though I did enjoy the book). It's a lighter story (and it was meant to be so), but I love the deeper side of relationships and life that the movie brings out.

9. Best book this year so far, is The Return of the King (3rd book in the LOTR trilogy).

10. I don't have one favorite author, so I'll list lots. :D Angela Hunt, Rachel Starr Thomson, Mesu Andrews, Lynn Austin, K.M. Weiland, Chuck Black, Patrick Carr, Suzannah Rowntree, Schuyler McConkey, Emily Hayse, Leah E. Good, Rosemary Sutcliff, C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, Douglas Bond, and Nadine Brandes. To name a few. ;)

11. I'm not sure I have a least favorite genre. I usually like books from all different genres. It really depends on the author and the book, not so much the genre for me. There are some very obvious genres I would refrain from reading, but typically, I'm willing to try most stories in different settings.

12. I have way too many books that I'd recommend to friends. After all, I have six bookshelves (might be seven soon), so I'm not really sure where to start. The last book I recently loaned to a friend was Crowning Heaven. I'd also recommend War of Loyalties (Schuyler McConkey), Exile (Rachel Starr Thomson), Pendragon (Suzannah Rowntree), and A Time to Die (Nadine Brandes).

13. I haven't really watched many film adaptations of movies, and the ones I've watched recently, the book was written after the movie. However, I do love, love, love the extended edition of The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. I also recently watched Paul, Apostle of Christ and read the book by Angela Hunt. Super well done.

14. Probably the Bible. I haven't counted, but I am quite sure that I have reread the Bible more times than I've ever read any other book. I don't often reread, though it is my goal to do it more this year.

15. Well, the books I don't expect to like are the ones I haven't read yet. I usually expect to like a book and often I do. There are few that I have read and not liked in some way. Usually that happens with non-fiction, more than fiction.

16. I'm very bad at reading classics. If Little Women and Little Men are classics, then I love them (also the movies). Same with Swiss Family Robinson. I have Emma and Pride and Prejudice on my shelf, but I haven't read them yet. My reading habits so far have consisted of reading ancient books (that nobody knows about) or brand new authors (also which nobody often knows about, it seems). But it makes an amazing platform for sharing new stories. :)

17. Different books have impacted me at different stages of life, so truly there is no one book, and often times they happened to be non-fiction works. However, Dreamlander (K.M. Weiland), War of Loyalties (Schuyler McConkey), and Renegade (Rachel Starr Thomson) have been the most influential in the last five years or so. I love the challenges of faith, and journeys of friendships in each of them. Basically I love seeing faith meet real life and how it plays out in peoples' lives.

18. Actually, I have met two authors already. One being a friend, and the other a Sunday school student of mine. :) However, I think that meeting Nadine Brandes would be amazingly fun. I love her Instagram stories (especially of baby-life), and her YouTube videos are so friendly and personable. But I'd love to meet Angela Hunt and Emily Hayse and K.M. Weiland and ask them All the Questions about why they wrote their stories.

19. I think more people should know about Rachel Starr Thomson. I can't remember where I was first introduced to her, probably social media somewhere, but the first book of each of her series is free on her website. She has a large following and also speaks at conferences and retreats and such, but everyone I mentioned her to doesn't seem to even know about her. Her insight into Scripture is amazing and she writes stories that take spiritual matters and make them tangible (or so it seems). She writes the hard stuff in ways that people would readily accept. And she has a membership for readers so you can get access to all her new books first (because why ever not?).

20. My favorite series is the Oneness Cycle by Rachel Starr Thomson. Favorite book...well, I'd have to have one for each category and genre. There's no way I could have a favorite book. However, I think most of my favorite books are mentioned in this post, so read them sometime and let me know what you think! You can also find reviews of many of them on the Alphabetized Book Reviews page.

What would be some of your answers to these 20 questions?

Of Fire and Lions by Mesu Andrews

From Amazon:
Survival. A Hebrew girl first tasted it when she escaped death nearly seventy years ago as the Babylonians ransacked Jerusalem and took their finest as captives. She thought she'd perfected in the many years amongst the Magoi and the idol worshippers, pretending with all the others in King Nebuchadnezzar's court. Now, as Daniel's wife and a septuagenarian matriarch, Belili thinks she's safe and she can live out her days in Babylon without fear--until the night Daniel is escorted to Belshazzar's palace to interpret mysterious handwriting on a wall. The Persian Army invades, and Belili's tightly-wound secrets unfurl with the arrival of the conquering army. What will the reign of Darius mean for Daniel, a man who prays to Yahweh alone? 

Ultimately, Yahweh's sovereign hand guides Jerusalem's captives, and the frightened Hebrew girl is transformed into a confident woman, who realizes her need of the God who conquers both fire and lions.

I didn't read the description of this book before I requested it, and every time I saw the title, I wondered what years of the Bible it would cover. For some reason, Daniel never came to mind, and fire and lions were quite a puzzle to me whenever I was reminded that I needed to read and review it. :)

This book opens by introducing us to Abigail, a mother to a large family, yet somehow shunned and estranged from them--all while living under the same roof. Her faithful companion and servant Mert is sure that things would be different if Abigail would just share her life story with them. But Abigail's not convinced. We also meet Daniel, Abigail's husband, who within minutes is dragged off to interpret a dream for King Belshazzar. The rest of the family seated at dinner is left shocked and distressed, especially since Daniel and his wife are now elderly.

After a couple chapters, we are thrown back in time to Jerusalem and Abigail's childhood in the court of the king. In the chaos that marks the court, Temple, and the years of Jewish history, she is soon an orphan--her life spared by the command of her mother to hide in the Temple. As Babylon takes Judah captive, Abigail must learn a new way of life, that of a servant to four boys: Daniel, Hananiah, Michael, and Azariah. While knowing what was expected of female servants in serving young men, Abigail fears her role, but knows it's the only way to survive. Daniel's kindness slowly wins her trust, and her intelligence leads him to instruct her in all that he's able to learn.

The God of the Israelites faithfully protects Abigail, even when she's separated from her friends, attacked by temple men and forced into pagan temple work. While in today's century professing Christians might turn their backs on God, Andrews shows how that could happen differently back in Daniel and Abigail's time, and Abigail ends up as a high priestess to Mithra, a pagan god.

I love Andrews attention to detail in her books. The names of the pillars of the temple, the bread in the Holy of Holies, the curtain decorations, the cherubim, and the Ark of the Covenant especially. Andrews addresses the controversial topic of eunuchs throughout Of Fire and Lions, because it is part of royalty life. I like her take on it, and while Daniel chooses to marry, his three friends have a revelation from God, as to what being a eunuch really means. Andrews weaves the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego's trial by fire, and Daniel's own personal testing in the den of lions. The history regarding King Cyrus and King Darius was very interesting, and Andrews explains a bit more of in the notes at the end of the book. She also does an excellent job allowing kings to be kings in all authority (whether right or not), while also demonstrating that God works through them in providing mercy to the Jews--whether that takes place in everyday court life or in the return of the Jewish exiles to rebuild Jerusalem.

Another story of hope and redemption through pagan kings, friendships with queens, wicked priests and temple workers, plagues and health, secrets and vulnerability, and war and miracles. Just like the Jewish captivity had an end for God's people, so our captivity here on earth and in these bodies has an end when the Son of David returns to claim his throne.


*This book was provided free from the publisher. All opinions are my own; I was not required to write a positive review. 

Miriam by Mesu Andrews

From Amazon:
"The Hebrews call me prophetess, the Egyptians a seer.
But I am neither. I am simply a watcher of Israel
and the messenger of El Shaddai.
When He speaks to me in dreams, I interpret. When He whispers a melody, I sing."

At eighty-six, Miriam had devoted her entire life to loving El Shaddai and serving His people as both midwife and messenger. Yet when her brother Moses returns to Egypt from exile, he brings a disruptive message. God has a new name – Yahweh – and has declared a radical deliverance for the Israelites.

Miriam and her beloved family face an impossible choice: cling to familiar bondage or embrace uncharted freedom at an unimaginable cost. Even if the Hebrews survive the plagues set to turn the Nile to blood and unleash a maelstrom of frogs and locusts, can they weather the resulting fury of the Pharaoh?

Enter an exotic land where a cruel Pharaoh reigns, pagan priests wield black arts, and the Israelites cry out to a God they only think they know.

Isaiah's Daughter introduced me this year to the fabulous author Mesu Andrews, and I was excited when I saw one of her other books on NetGalley. This book follows Miriam's story from physical slavery in Egypt, through the ten plagues, and forward to the future Promised Land. But Miram's story isn't just that of slavery to King Ramesses, but also that of doubts and the bondage in her own heart. As prophetess of the Lord, Miriam relies completely on the Lord for her skills in healing and in singing and prophesying. But soon she must come to know the Lord by faith and not just by hearing.

I loved how Eleazar and Taliah grew together in their relationship. Abba's kind and gentle counsel was so refreshing and it was always there when Miriam needed it. The plagues were all well done, and I didn't think that the "extras" in them distracted from Scripture at all, rather they gave life and meaning to the separation between Jew and Gentile, while also demonstrating that believing Gentiles were covered under the same blood of the Lamb. Andrews details the theological struggles of the Jews well. While we don't know for certain if Jews wondered if someone went to heaven if they weren't circumcised, but yet believed in Yahweh, the questions would have arisen because people doubt and wonder and wander. And our hearts today are no different from the hearts that clung to promises not knowing whether they would see their fulfillment. Andrews also deals with unanswered questions providing hope even when the unknown was before them.

The terror of the Passover was real, I believe, especially for all who were first born. And yet the obedience of the faithful provided relief and security amid the questions and chaos. While I don't know if Eleazar actually worked in the palace as a bodyguard, I loved his placement as a character. It gave him unique opportunities to fulfill little details in Scripture when we aren't told exactly how things happened.

Miriam's story, as well as the story of the Jews as they leave the bondage of Egypt is a true one, and one that Andrews did well in retelling. I love the fictional aspect of it, but even more, I believe good historical (Biblical) fiction makes you truly fall in love with the God of the Hebrews, who is also the God of the Gentiles and the nations. Join Miriam as she journeys out of Egypt to freedom, and come along side of her as she travels the road of faith, all the while healing hearts and relieving the pain of those around her.


*I received this book free from WaterBrook Multnomah through NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review.

Isaiah's Daughter by Mesu Andrews

From Amazon:
In this epic Biblical narrative, ideal for fans of The Bible miniseries, a young woman taken into the prophet Isaiah's household rises to capture the heart of the future king.

Isaiah adopts Ishma, giving her a new name--Zibah, delight of the Lord--thereby ensuring her royal pedigree. Ishma came to the prophet's home, devastated after watching her family destroyed and living as a captive. But as the years pass, Zibah's lively spirit wins Prince Hezekiah's favor, a boy determined to rebuild the kingdom his father has nearly destroyed. But loving this man will awake in her all the fears and pain of her past and she must turn to the only One who can give life, calm her fears, and deliver a nation.

From the first few words of this book, the reader enters the whirlwind of activity that might not be too inaccurate from the Israelites' long past. Andrews relates the story of Ishma. Perhaps she was named for the past, present, or future desolation that she and the nation of Israel experienced, for that is what Ishma means--"desolation". And yet, though her new master, Isaiah, gives her a new name meaning "delight of the Lord", she still struggles with the desolation inside herself and throughout her nation.

There are so many things to love about this book...and to learn as well. I love Yaira's unwavering commitment to the Lord's will through her life, despite the tragic events. I love Hezi's devotion to God even when he lived in the center of wicked palace life. I love Isaiah’s perseverance and courage to prophecy even though it might take his life. And Ishma…I love her for who she is and who she becomes.

Andrews weaves an incredible story surrounding the period of King Ahaz and King Hezekiah, while creating fictional characters to emphasize the humanity of men and the awesomeness of God. I’m still not quite sure I appreciated the portrayal of Isaiah as a righteous prophet yet often misinterpreting prophecies based on his opinion, but I suppose some things are an author’s liberty. ;) And at times I thought Queen Abijah was a bit too fictional, but in no way did either of these elements detract from the message of this book. I loved Isaiah's prophecy because it showed how people could misinterpret God's word at that time, but also it showed how greatly they longed for the coming Messiah and how they lived in the expectation of that hope.

The history that was well-written and included throughout the chapters. Each chapters opens with a passage of Scripture—often from Isaiah and it’s amazing to see how some of the culture and Jewish history would be present in such scenes. Often we read our Bibles with our 21st century mindset and because we know the stories so well, we forget the nation of Israel and its customs and its people. What they wore, how they lived, what they ate and sold, and what they did for work. And sometimes we even forget that they had feelings too. They were fearful for their future, being surrounded by enemies, receiving warnings and prophecies that were uncertain and not always able to be interpreted right away. They had to wait too. They suffered persecution and judgment and yet in the end still remained the beloved people of God. Hephzibah’s title reminds Isaiah and the king (and yes, herself) that God does turn mourning into gladness, and that, after the darkest of nights, joy comes at dawn.