A. D. 33

WOW! Three simple letters that define how blown my mind is by Ted Dekker's latest novel. It quite literally goes beyond what the human mind can comprehend or even begin to put into words. Perhaps the best part of this novel is the disclaimer that Ted offers to readers that this is a fictional novel written using various portions of Scripture from the Bible to transport readers back in time to a pivotal moment in history that has forever changed the world.

A.D. 33 is the sequel to Dekker's previous novel A.D. 30 in which the queen of the desert known as Maviah finds herself questioning the very experience of Yeshua whom she encountered in the city of Petra. She now finds herself in great opposition in defending that very faith for the lives not only of the Bedouin people, but also the life of the orphan boy, Talya, she is raising since the death of her own child, at the hands of those that defy Yeshua and His teachings. As she attempts to reconcile the recent kidnapping of the love of her life, Judah, she finds she must search within herself and resolve the very identity she believes defines her and those around her.

As a woman in the culture of the Middle East, she carries as much weight as those considered outcasts by society. She struggles with knowing how to apply the power she has found in her faith in Yeshua, but like all of us, when pushed to the breaking point, realizes that her faith is much like that of seed scattered among the rocks, when adversity comes, it withers. As those she truly cares for and loves is brought under the tyranny of those in power, she wonders how those who follow Yeshua keep their faith. Not until she meets up with Him once again, does she realize that they will all follow away until they realize what Yeshua means to take up your cross and follow me. One by one as they follow Yeshua up to the point of being betrayed and crucified, the realization of all His teachings won't be understood until they accept His way over the way of the world.

I received A.D. 33 by Ted Dekker compliments of Center Street Publishers, a division of Hachette Book Groups for my honest opinion. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review, aside from a free copy of this novel, and the opinions contained here are my honest and personal ones. There are simply so many great take aways from this novel I never understood til I walk through this with Maviah's character and truly felt the impact of Yeshua's wisdom from the Bible. For those of you looking for a wonderfully powerful biblical historical fictional novel, pick up not only this novel but A.D. 30 as well to gain the full impact of Maviah's story of finding her faith and understanding it as never before. In my opinion, one of THE best novels of 2015 and well worth all 5 out of 5 stars. Well done Mr. Dekker, well done!

For more information about A.D. 33, Ted Dekker or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

A.D. 33 by Ted Dekker

You can find Ted Dekker on Facebook to stay up to date on all his latest novels.

To read more reviews on A.D. 33, please visit Center Street's website. 

Until My Name Is Known

Some of my favorite fiction novels since I've been a book reviewer are those that take a well known story from the Bible and expand on it without losing the initial meaning. We all know that there is more to the story than what we read and once again, another talented author has managed to do just that. Sonya Contreras has launched a series called Tell of My Kingdom's Glory and in the debut novel, Until My Name is Known, we are transported back to the time of Moses. Not the Moses who was put in a basket and floated up the river, but this was after his killing of an Egyptian guard and now he has be called by God to go to Pharoah to seek the release of the Israelites who have been slaves for more than 40 years.

Those familiar with the story remember how Pharoah isn't about to let them go, because they are the man power capable of building his empire, and no matter how many times Moses and Aaron attempt to convince him to let their people go, Pharoah refuses. After all he has the power of all the Egyptian gods he can call upon through his viziers and priests, so until the threats are taken seriously by all, the plagues of Egypt will continue. I love how Sonya will expand on the outcome of each of the plagues, how they might have been perceived by both the Egyptian people as well as the Israelites who got a slight reprieve from the plagues but still had to endure the first few. It showcases how Pharoah might have perceived his sense of power prior to the plagues and how with the downfall of each, he loses a bit more of his power but also the respect of his people who look to him for their sense of well being. Just like those in powerful positions, Pharoah isn't about to be taken for granted, and until it seems like it all is just about to slip away, he relents, but only enough to realize, he can't let the people stay gone. He has to bring them back otherwise suffer the ruination of his kingdom.

I received Until My Name is Known by Sonya Contreras compliments of Litfuse Publicity and Bull Head Press for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review aside from a free copy of this book, and the opinions contained here are strictly my own. I look forward to seeing what is next in this series and it truly does convey to the reader, that God doesn't want any to perish but to come to know Him, through the many wonders and promises found in His Word. You can tell quite a bit of research went into this book based on the number of resources she refers to in her bibliography to help us fill in the missing pieces. The best part of this book for me, was seeing it laid out as the 10 plagues of Egypt were called down by Moses and how it simply did just happen in the course of a couple weeks. It shows how far God is willing to go to reach people with each plague getting more darker as Pharoah turns in desperation to the gods of Egypt to counter God's power. I would rate this one 4 out of 5 stars based strictly on the formatting of the book. I would have like to have seen it spaced better to help the reader from feeling overwhelming by the lack of spacing on each page.

For more information about Until My Name is Known, Sonya Contreras, or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Until My Name is Known by Sonya Contreras

You can find Sonya Contreras on Twitter to stay up to date on all her latest books.

To read more reviews on Until My Name is Known, please visit Litfuse Publicity's Book Tour page. 

Empire's End

Okay, I must first open this review with a couple of disclaimers and all of which are my own personal opinion which you can take with a grain of salt if you wish, but when I search for a book to purchase, I often sort through the reviews, the good and the bad to help decide if I really want to pick it up and read it, however if it is by an author I love, I will pick it up regardless.

Since I've been a huge fan of biblical fiction, I gravitate towards that whenever possible. I love how some creative authors will take what the Bible story is and add to it, provide filler in order to help us fully understand the role this person may be played in the context we read about them in the Bible. I also understand this will not be your typical re-telling of a Bible story and some liberties will be taken.

Second, I've been a huge fan of Jerry B. Jenkins since his co-authorship of the Left Behind series and countless others, so I naturally wanted to pick this one up. That being said, I was a bit disappointed by his latest novel Empire's End, the story about the life of Paul the Apostle or Saul of Tarsus as he was formerly known. I had thought the television series A.D. was a bit disappointing by their own interpretation of events after the death and resurrection of Jesus, so I was hoping for a bit more than what I found.

The novel opens as a journal-like text from Saul/Paul as he conveys his story of his journey apart from what we gain from the Bible. It picks up with a brief overview of Saul's initial conquest as persecutor of Jesus follower's beginning with Stephen, and his subsequent conversion on the Damascus Road where he lost his eyesight and discovered Jesus in a vision. The majority of the book tells about his journey after being lowered down the wall of Damascus as those there sought his arrest for being a follower of the Way, or Jesus Christ. He flees on a horse that is spiritually led across the desert by interaction from a conversation with God to arrive at a Bedouin camp in the Arabian desert when he encounters the family of the very man he persecuted.

This is where the story is a bit confusing for me, because it deviates from the Bible in such a manner that a believer in Christ would find this one a little hard to swallow. (Sorry Mr. Jenkins, but I truly LOVED all your other novels). To think that perhaps Paul had come to terms with the widow of Stephen and spent time there while awaiting God's next instruction, was hard to come to terms with. I would have preferred if the story stuck to the role of Saul/Paul's life from the Bible instead of deviating so much from the original. It truly wasn't what I was hoping for, nor what I found. in fact more than half the book was about this spiritual journey of Paul's as he studied under the guidance of morning inspirations and visions of God where he was staying.

I understand that this is strictly a fictional story and was hoping for a bit more knowing how much Jerry Jenkins follows the Bible in past novels but in my opinion this was not the case here. There is no record this didn't happen in Paul's life, but then again, there is no record it did either if we are to take the Bible at its face value. I think that is perhaps what has disappointed so many readers of this book was the expectation it would follow some road map of Paul's life from the Bible with some filler added in to make it seem more alive. For me, this one didn't hit home.

I received Empire's End by Jerry B. Jenkins compliments of Worthy Publishing and Icon Media Group for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation and the opinions contained here are strictly my own and others might feel quite differently about this novel over what I did. I would rate this one a 3 out of 5 stars. The book I, Saul was the precursor for this novel.

For more information about Empire's End, Jerry B. Jenkins or where to pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Empire's End by Jerry B. Jenkins

You can find Jerry B. Jenkins on Facebook to stay up to date on all his latest novels.

You can read more reviews on Empire's End by visiting Worthy Publishing's website.

The Tomb: A Novel of Martha

I can honestly say without a doubt that Stephanie Landsem is one of the finest biblical fictional authors I've read to date. Her ability to take the well known Bible stories that are masked in so much unknown and breath such life into them, you'd swear that they were a part of the Bible. The elements that she utilizes to create the back story for such well loved characters in her previous novels in the Living Waters Series, such as "the thief on the cross," the Samaritan woman at the well," and now the beloved character so many women can relate to, Martha, the sister of Lazarus and Mary.

In her latest novel, The Tomb, is the third novel in the Living Water series. Trust me when I say, if you love those well known stories from the Bible, you will want to pick up this entire series. Before the story opens, the readers are in for an explanation by Stephanie Landsem about how these stories evolve and one I had never really considered, until I got the "A-ha" moment hit over my own head. In The Tomb: A Novel of Martha, is not her attempt to recount the historical events that took place in Bethany two thousand years ago. Instead, it is a re-imagining of how Martha, a woman who was "anxious and worried about many things," might have been transformed into the faith-filled woman of John 11:22, who said to Jesus - as her brother lay in his tomb - "Even know I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you."

Another author Jill Eileen Smith, in her praise for the Tomb, captured the essence of this entire Living Water series when she adds, "Often when we read the biblical story, we don't stop to think about who these people were, what they thought, how they lived - especially when we are unfamiliar with the culture of the day. The Tomb gives us a rich glimpse into that culture and into the lives of these characters: their hopes, their joys, their fears. You will never see Martha quite the same way again."

That is precisely what the reader will glean from this inside look into what really made Martha, the beloved character from the Bible, the proverbial worrier, the woman who never stopped and was always busy working hard to make sure everything was perfect, couldn't see where all her efforts were truly going. I had never really considered what her story might be. The Bible doesn't speak of their parents and with Martha being the oldest, one might assume that all the household responsibilities of raising her younger brother and sister would fall naturally to her. Thoughts of her own future would pale with making sure everything else would be addressed before her own needs were considered.

This translates so beautifully in this novel and it truly saddens me every single time, that the novels are over too soon. I feel like I have truly been given a look into the lives of characters of the Bible I had never considered before until I have finished another one of Stephanie's novels. Her introductions to other secondary characters is woven so seamlessly you often find yourself asking if you missed connecting those pieces together when you read the Bible so many times before. From the demon possessed man, to the plots against Jesus by the Sanhedrin, the story is breath-taking, magical, and one I know I will read again and again. These novels are so rich in detail, you can't put them down. You simply won't want to. So be sure to set aside time to take a virtual vacation back to the time of Christ and see for yourself one of the most unforgettable miracles from the Bible as you read, The Tomb.

I received The Tomb: A Novel of Martha by Stephanie Landsem compliments of Howard Books and Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions contained here are strictly my own unless otherwise notated. Such a beautiful novel that captures the demon possessed man, Simon the leper, Martha, Mary and Lazarus, as well as the saving grace that can only come from time spent with Jesus Christ as you witness first hand these events as though you are part of the action and not just reading a novel. This is one of those novels when you read it, you want to tell every single person about it, so they can enjoy it as much as you have. My only hope, is that like most series, it doesn't end at the third one and Stephanie has plans for another one, fingers crossed!!! Hands down, a well deserved standing ovation and worth every one of the five out of five stars.

For more information about The Tomb, Stephanie Landsem, or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

The Tomb by Stephanie Landsem

You can also find Stephanie Landsem on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on The Tomb, please visit Christian Fiction Blog Alliances' book tour page.

The Tomb: A Novel of Martha - Giveaway and Review

I can honestly say without a doubt that Stephanie Landsem is one of the finest biblical fictional authors I've read to date. Her ability to take the well known Bible stories that are masked in so much unknown and breath such life into them, you'd swear that they were a part of the Bible. The elements that she utilizes to create the back story for such well loved characters in her previous novels in the Living Waters Series, such as "the thief on the cross," the Samaritan woman at the well," and now the beloved character so many women can relate to, Martha, the sister of Lazarus and Mary.

In her latest novel, The Tomb, is the third novel in the Living Water series. Trust me when I say, if you love those well known stories from the Bible, you will want to pick up this entire series. Before the story opens, the readers are in for an explanation by Stephanie Landsem about how these stories evolve and one I had never really considered, until I got the "A-ha" moment hit over my own head. In The Tomb: A Novel of Martha, is not her attempt to recount the historical events that took place in Bethany two thousand years ago. Instead, it is a re-imagining of how Martha, a woman who was "anxious and worried about many things," might have been transformed into the faith-filled woman of John 11:22, who said to Jesus - as her brother lay in his tomb - "Even know I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you."

Another author Jill Eileen Smith,in her praise for the Tomb, captured the essence of this entire Living Water series when she adds, "Often when we read the biblical story, we don't stop to think about who these people were, what they thought, how they lived - especially when we are unfamiliar with the culture of the day. The Tomb gives us a rich glimpse into that culture and into the lives of these characters: their hopes, their joys, their fears. You will never see Martha quite the same way again."

That is precisely what the reader will glean from this inside look into what really made Martha, the beloved character from the Bible, the proverbial worrier, the woman who never stopped and was always busy working hard to make sure everything was perfect, couldn't see where all her efforts were truly going. I had never really considered what her story might be. The Bible doesn't speak of their parents and with Martha being the oldest, one might assume that all the household responsibilities of raising her younger brother and sister would fall naturally to her. Thoughts of her own future would pale with making sure everything else would be addressed before her own needs were considered.

This translates so beautifully in this novel and it truly saddens me every single time, that the novels are over too soon. I feel like I have truly been given a look into the lives of characters of the Bible I had never considered before until I have finished another one of Stephanie's novels. Her introductions to other secondary characters is woven so seamlessly you often find yourself asking if you missed connecting those pieces together when you read the Bible so many times before. From the demon possessed man, to the plots against Jesus by the Sanhedrin, the story is breath-taking, magical, and one I know I will read again and again. These novels are so rich in detail, you can't put them down. You simply won't want to. So be sure to set aside time to take a virtual vacation back to the time of Christ and see for yourself one of the most unforgettable miracles from the Bible as you read, The Tomb.

I received The Tomb: A Novel of Martha by Stephanie Landsem compliments of Howard Books for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions contained here are strictly my own unless otherwise notated. Such a beautiful novel that captures the demon possessed man, Simon the leper, Martha, Mary and Lazarus, as well as the saving grace that can only come from time spent with Jesus Christ as you witness first hand these events as though you are part of the action and not just reading a novel. This is one of those novels when you read it, you want to tell every single person about it, so they can enjoy it as much as you have. My only hope, is that like most series, it doesn't end at the third one and Stephanie has plans for another one, fingers crossed!!! Hands down, a well deserved standing ovation and worth every one of the five out of five stars.

For more information about The Tomb, Stephanie Landsem, or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

The Tomb by Stephanie Landsem

You can also find Stephanie Landsem on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on The Tomb, please visit Howard Book's website. 

Now for the best part, thanks to Stephanie Landsem, she is providing a complimentary giveaway copy to one lucky follower of my blog, Reviews From The Heart. Here's all you need to do to enter:

1. Be a follower of my blog, Reviews From The Heart. 

2. "Like" Stephanie Landsem's Facebook page and leave her a comment there congratulating her on The Tomb's release.

3. Be a resident of the US or have a US mailing address. Please No P.O. Boxes.

4. Leave a comment below telling me why you'd love to win a copy of The Tomb: A Novel of Martha. Don't forget to include your email address, otherwise I can't notify you if you're the lucky winner. You can use (at) and (dot) instead of the symbols.

I will email the winner once the giveaway ends on March 26th. If I don't hear from the winner within 72 hours, another winner will be selected.