Book Review: The Pharaoh's Daughter

Title: The Pharaoh's Daughter by Mesu Andrews
My Rating: 4.5 stars
Amazon rating: 4.7

 From the editor:

“You will be called Anippe, daughter of the Nile. Do you like it?” Without waiting for a reply, she pulls me into her squishy, round tummy for a hug. 
I’m trying not to cry. Pharaoh’s daughters don’t cry.
When we make our way down the tiled hall, I try to stop at ummi Kiya’s chamber. I know her spirit has flown yet I long for one more moment. Amenia pushes me past so I keep walking and don’t look back. 
Like the waters of the Nile, I will flow.
 
Anippe has grown up in the shadows of Egypt’s good god Pharaoh, aware that Anubis, god of the afterlife, may take her or her siblings at any moment. She watched him snatch her mother and infant brother during childbirth, a moment which awakens in her a terrible dread of ever bearing a child. Now she is to be become the bride of Sebak, a kind but quick-tempered Captain of Pharaoh Tut’s army. In order to provide Sebak the heir he deserves and yet protect herself from the underworld gods, Anippe must launch a series of deceptions, even involving the Hebrew midwives—women ordered by Tut to drown the sons of their own people in the Nile. 
     When she finds a baby floating in a basket on the great river, Anippe believes Egypt’s gods have answered her pleas, entrenching her more deeply in deception and placing her and her son Mehy, whom handmaiden Miriam calls Moses, in mortal danger.  As bloodshed and savage politics shift the balance of power in Egypt, the gods reveal their fickle natures and Anippe wonders if her son, a boy of Hebrew blood, could one day become king. Or does the god of her Hebrew servants, the one they call El Shaddai, have a different plan—for them all?

 My thoughts:

I'll start by saying that this is by far the best book I have read through the "Blogging for Books" program. Andrews did her research well, and I was impressed and fascinated with how she intertwined biblical and secular history. It's books like these, enriched with the ins and outs of daily of the time, that help to bring a vividness and deeper understanding of scriptural events. Naturally, the story is fictional, but Andrews seemed to remain true to the biblical events, while opening our imaginations to what might have occurred between the lines and behind the scenes. Writing a book like this is most certainly a lot of work as you are burdened with the responsibility of portraying some of history's most renowned characters and events, and our author did not take her responsibility lightly. I found the book easy to read despite the sometimes heavy dialogue (which only made the book feel more true to its time), but most of all it was the story itself that kept me turning page after page after page.

This was my first read from Mesu Andrews, but it won't be my last.


I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for this honest review.

Book Review: Garden of Madness

Garden of Madness by Tracy L. Higley

My rating; 3.5 stars
Amazon.com rating: 4.5 stars


"The Untold Story of King Nebuchadnezzar's Daughter"...

Despite the luxurious life of privilege afforded a daughter of Babylon, Tiamat yearns for more-- adventure, the chance to make a real difference, not simply to be a bartering piece in her mother's games of manipulation and deceit.

As the king roams the hanging gardens of Babylon like a mad beast, a dark plot is underway in the shadows of the palace, and Tiamat may be the only thing standing between her family and utter downfall, but is she willing to sacrifice everything for the sake of the ones she loves? And what of this One God her deceased husband's brother speaks of, and the claims of the Prophet Belteshazzar that "The time of the prophecy is upon us"? Are the God's Tia has always trusted truly demons in disguise?

Garden of Madness is a rich story that transports the reader to a time nearly forgotten, the time of Babylon the Great. The story is steeped in mystery and dark plots, crafty magi and brutal murder. The pace was a bit sluggish and I had a very difficult time liking the male protagonist, even after his change of heart, and I felt that not everything pertaining to the Jewish faith was theologically sound, but I did enjoy this book, and appreciated that it was clean, if somewhat violent.

Book Review: This is What You Just Put in Your Mouth?

This is What you Just Put in Your Mouth? by Patrick Di Justo

My Rating: 3.8 stars

I decided to try something different this time. I'm not generally a "food book" person, but I do like information, and this book seemed, well, informative. We do not have a gushy exposé here-- as the author himself states in the introduction, "If you're looking for shocking stories of the gigantic corporate conspiracy to poison America through its processed foods, you're reading the wrong book." This is simply a collection of information for the curious-- to help us understand why a company may choose to put a certain ingredient in their product-- how it reacts with other ingredients, it's chemical makeup, that sort of thing. The format is easy to read: each chapter focuses on one product-- like Southern Comfort Egg Nog-- breaks down some (but not all) of the ingredients in it and their intended or assumed purposes, as well as giving a little back story on how the author got his scoop. Sarcasm abounds throughout, which is sometimes amusing and sometimes annoying when you actually are interested in the facts, but, for the most part, I did appreciate the humor. Di Justo himself is not a chemist, but a reporter, and he's not shy about putting his opinions in at times, especially concerning politics. Call me old fashioned, but I believe a good reporter should be politically unbiased (of course, I doubt such a one actually exists). Just the same, it was a good read and I enjoyed sharing interesting tidbits from it with my husband (during which I referred to the book as "in your mouth", because the title gets really annoying after repeating it more than once). In the end the book is just what it claims to be-- nothing more, nothing less.

Note: I received a free copy of this book from Three Rivers Press in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review: A Certain Truth

My rating: 4/5 stars

Another triumph from Bell!

I've been plowing my way through reading material, and would up picking this book up again. I had left it half read when I fell into the black hole of not reading several months ago (don't fear, I'm on the mend). This is the third book in "The Trials of Kit Shannon" trilogy, and I don't believe I reviewed the first two after reading them a year or so ago, so this review will serve as a summary of all three books.

The series chronicles, as the title suggests, the trials of Kit Shannon, an early 20th century defense attorney in L.A., who is also one of just handful of female lawyers in America. Each book is full of intrigue and mystery, so they keep you interested, and it's always difficult to predict the guilty party. The trial scenes are especially entertaining, as Bell likes to save a few surprises for the courtroom. He also weaves history into his stories by bringing in actual historical figures, so you get a history lesson along with an entertaining fictional tale. 

Like I said, I did drop out of this book halfway through, so in that sense I think it was a little less interesting at points than the previous two, which held my interest solid til the end, but this did really gain momentum in the second half. Kit finds herself swept into a murder plot during her honeymoon cruise, and ends up defending a client who may not be entirely guiltless, all while navigated personal and spiritual challenges. I enjoyed the well rounded characters and the plot twists and turns. Bell has written a couple books on the art of suspense, and his credibility shines through in his fiction. 

An exciting read for sure!

Book Review: I Like Giving

I like giving by Brad Formsma

My rating: 3.8 stars

I mostly read fiction but occassionaly enjoy a nice self help or inspiritional book. I've had this one sitting around for the past several months and finally decided to pick it up and read. At first I sort of thought the guy was just bragging, but as I continued the book it became apparent that he and others who shared their stories were simply trying to inspire others a lifestyle of giving. I enjoyed the stories of people who gave what they had-- sometimes it was as simple as a gesture, other times as extravagant as a new house. By the end I believe the book had accomplished its purpose-- I felt inspired to give more freely and even learned a little about myself and why I feel fulfilled when I give (there is even a chapter about the science behind giving!).

It was an enjoyable, easy read. I'm a little surprised by the cover price on this book at $14.99, as it is a book about giving, after all, but I can't complain since I received my copy free from the publisher in exchange for this review!

Book Review: While We're Far Apart

While We're Far Apart, by Lynn Austin

My rating: 4.3 stars

Amazon rating: 4.7 stars

I blazed through several books so quickly that I forgot to review some of them! This book is set during WWII and partially divides perspective between thirteen-year-old Esther whose father is off fighting, and Penny, the woman who is watching Esther and her brother until their father returns. Penny has secretly been in love with the Eddie, the children's father, since childhood and hopes that caring for his children will win his love, but that won't be easy as Eddie still grieves the loss of his wife, and the children seem reluctant and too heartbroken to let someone else into their lives. 

We also have the perspective of Jacob, Eddie's Jewish landlord who works desperately to locate his son who is right in the middle of heavy persecution against the Jews. 

Is the story unravels these three characters, and several others, touch each other's lives and teach one another valuable lessons about forgiveness, moving on, and growing up. 

I loved this story. While it was sad in many parts, it had just enough to keep you hoping for the best, and I was not disappointed at the end.

Book Review: Wonderland Creek

Wonderland Creek, by Lynn Austin

My rating: 3.8 stars
Amazon.com rating: 4.6 stars

I've completed yet another book by one of my favorite authors, and thought I'd throw up a quick review.

Alice lives more in the world of books than the real world... that's why her boyfriend decides it's time to end their relationship. In an effort to deal with the breakup, Allie decides to deliver some donated books she has been gathering for a small town library in the mountains of Kentucky. Alice quickly finds, in the backwoods of Kentucky, that real life is much more exciting than anything in a book, as she is swept, against her will, into a plot of deception, greed, and even murder.

While this isn't a new favorite for me, I did enjoy the story and it held my interest. There was a diversity of interesting characters, even if one wasn't sure halfway through the book who to like and who not to. My favorite thing about the story was the overall message-- not just of real life versus fiction, but of actually living a life of substance even if it's harder, versus an empty life of ease and comfort. In many ways the book itself reflects the journey of the heroine-- it starts out light and a bit shallow, and ends with depth and insight. I am yet to read anything by Lynn Austen that I do not like!