Book Recommendation - Jerusalem's Queen

My most recent read was Angela Hunt's "Jerusalem's Queen: A Novel of Salome Alexandra". If you're like me, you didn't even know that Jerusalem ever had a queen, let alone what her name was. Salome Alexandra ruled Judea just before the time of Christ. Her death preceded his birth by about a generation. This book is book 3 in Ms. Hunt's series "The Silent Years", which spans the 400 years between the old and new testaments. Having not read much of anything in this time-frame, I've found this series absolutely captivating. Book 1 was the story of Cleopatra. Book 2 was the story of Judah Maccabees. While those stories did not tie in together at all, this one referenced both of them, as Salome Alexandra was a descendant of the Maccabees and was likely able to come into power because of women in the surrounding nations like Cleopatra, already in power.

 I loved this story, which was told from the viewpoint of both Salome Alexandra and her lady's maid, Kissa. It was fascinating to see how she might have come into power and her reign was actually described later as "Judea's Golden Age.". I love how Ms. Hunt used real people and real circumstances and inserted fiction where fact was not known. Having read Mark Batterson's "The Circle Maker", it was exciting to see Honi make an appearance in this book. I felt like I knew something other people might now know. Since he did his circle drawing in that time frame, it would make sense that the queen and the circle drawer may have crossed paths.

Having done the Christian fiction scavenger hunt last week, which this book was a part of, I got a bit of an inside scoop from Angela Hunt:

Q. I must confess, I’d never heard of Salome Alexandra, Queen of Jerusalem, before encountering your book. Who was she?

A. I’d never heard of her, either, until one of my theology professors mentioned her. Not much information is available on her, and what little information there is often contradicts itself. For instance, most Jewish history books say that she was the widow of Judah Aristobulus, who then married his brother, Alexander Jannaeus, but that couldn’t be possible because the high priest had to marry a virgin. And we know that Judah Aristobulus married Salina, not Salome. Most people assume they were one and the same, but they were not.

Q. What made this woman worthy of a book? What did she do that was so unusual?
A. She was a good queen, and honestly followed God. Her husband, Alexander Jannaeus, was high priest and king, and he was horrible. He had purges, he crucified hundreds of Law-following Pharisees and made his victims watch their families being murdered, he kept concubines—in short, he was not a righteous man. But Salome Alexandra was a righteous woman, and after her husband died she reigned in his place and cleaned things up. She made sure girls were educated as well as boys, she changed the way marriage contracts were negotiated (so women were provided for), and she blessed her people. The Jews said the years of her reign were golden years, when God blessed Judea.

Q. Why didn’t those golden years continue after her death?
A. Because she had two sons—one who was like her, the other very much like her husband. The wild one attacked her heir right after her death, and their bloody war caused the Romans to invade, establishing, in the long run, Roman rule. Judea became a Roman province, the Romans named Herod king, and the last kings from the Hasmonean dynasty were killed.

Q. What surprised you most as you researched this period? What was it, fifty years before Christ’s birth?
A. Salome Alexandra died in 67 B.C., and the thing I found most fascinating was that many of the Jews of that time professed a real interest in studying Bible prophecy. The Torah scholars had a sense that one epoch had concluded with the return from Babylonian exile, and a new one was about to begin. The Essenes, in particular, were looking for a messiah—or two, since they saw clear signs that God was getting ready to send a king and a high priest. They were looking for Christ, but they hadn’t quite figured out that the king/priest would be one person, and that God would send him as a tiny baby who was born to die . . . so we might be born again.

Q. Why should a modern Christian care about a Jewish queen? 
A. Because we Christians have been adopted by God into His chosen family, and our Messiah was Jewish! Studying the four hundred years between the Old and New Testaments—the intertestamental period—will help you better understand the situation of the Gospels. And Salome Alexandra is a fascinating woman! I think you’ll enjoy learning about her as much as I did.

This book releases November 6th and is available for pre-order wherever you buy books. Coming up next to finish out this series is "The King's Shadow", which will release sometime in 2019.

My review is included below:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2575336799

Book Recommendation - Legacy of Mercy

One of my go-to authors for "women's fiction" is Lynn Austin. She writes amazing character-driven novels with relateable and likeable characters, compelling story lines and usually an element of both mystery and romance. Her latest release, Legacy of Mercy, is no exception to this rule. Legacy of Mercy is a sequel to Waves of Mercy, which released 2 years prior (almost to the date). When penning Waves of Mercy, Ms. Austin intended for it to be a stand-alone, but fans clamored for a sequel. The more she thought about it, the more she wanted to find out what happened next as well, and so the sequel was born.

The first book follows young Anneke (Anna) who is smarting from a broken engagement. Her mother takes her on holiday to Michigan where she can nurse her wounds privately, away from the prying eyes and gossip of Chicago's upper echelon. While there, she meets some interesting people who change her life in the most remarkable way. We also follow Geesje, who was a dutch immigrant to the US 50 years ago. She has been tasked with writing down her story for the city of Holland's 50th anniversary. As she dwells on the times past, we travel back and forth between time periods as well. The connection between Anna and Geesje is a startling one! And was, in part, what made readers want more. Legacy of Mercy picks up with Anna back in Chicago. Her engagement is back on and as she plans a wedding and attempts to do all of the social activities planned for her, she struggles to live out the faith that seemed so clear in Michigan with Geesje. Geesje finds herself taking in a young immigrant as she is one of the few in town who still speaks Dutch fluently. The lessons that she came about in the hardships of book 1 make her an excellent surrogate for this young hurting girl. I loved seeing her growth and how she passed along the spiritual lessons she learned to the next generation.

I pulled some fun details from Ms. Austin's web-page to further entice reading this one:

The novel is a sequel to “Waves of Mercy” and features the same main characters. Geesje DeJonge is a 67-year-old widow who told her story of immigrating from the Netherlands in 1847 in the first book. Anna Nicholson is a wealthy 23-year-old woman from Chicago who is engaged to a wealthy banker, and is just beginning her walk of faith under Geesje’s guidance.

I never planned to write this sequel. Aside from my biblical fiction, my books have all been stand-alone novels. But since Anna is only 23, readers of the first book begged me to write about what happens next in her life. The more I thought about it, the more I wanted to find out what happens next, too.

So, how do I entice you to want to read “Legacy of Mercy” without giving away the plot? Well, there’s a mystery that Anna will be trying to solve with a little help from the Pinkerton detectives—a real agency founded in 1850. You may enjoy solving it along with her.

The story takes place in the Gilded Age when society women wore beautiful gowns like these and the one shown on the book cover.
The Gibson Girl hairstyle was a popular look.
And wealthy Chicagoans were building over-the-top mansions to replace the homes destroyed in the Great Chicago Fire.
And staffing them with servants at their back and call.
Every good novel needs a love story, and I hope readers will enjoy the one I’ve created in “Legacy.” Sorry, I can’t tell you who the lucky lovers are, but I hope you’ll be surprised.

I doubt if many of us share Anna’s extravagant lifestyle, but many of us have shared her journey to find God’s purpose for our lives. It’s a theme that’s very dear to me because it also took me a long time to discover my purpose. I love to share my story whenever I’m invited to speak at events because it’s the story of God’s faithfulness. I don’t have the time or space to share it here, but I hope that Anna’s journey will inspire readers who are still seeking.

Legacy of Mercy released on October 2nd and is available at all major book retailers. My review is below:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2567145755

Book Recommendation - An Hour Unspent

When it comes to historical romance fiction, Roseanna M. White is one of my go-to authors. The romances are never cheesy or too fast, the characters are loveable and the history is very well researched. You feel like you're transported back in time. Such was the case with this book/series. An Hour Unspent is book 3 in the Shadows Over England series, but the story holds its own. This series takes place during WWI, which is a time period I don't often see in historical fiction. It's interesting to think of a time when cars were uncommon, planes couldn't cross the English Channel, and wristwatches were a new design. In this book, we meet (or see at a deeper level if you've read the other books in the series) Barclay Pearce, one of London's best thieves. He's reforming his ways as he learns more about God as his Father. Having spent a majority of his years as an orphan, this is a foreign concept to him. It was interesting to see his growth in this area as the book progressed. Barclay is the leader of his "family", a group of 12 other orphans who have banded together, looked out for one another and become true family in the face of adversity. Barclay's latest assignment is to connect with the local clockmaker, who may have some designs on a device that could help sway the tide of the war. Before he has a chance to meet Mr. Manning himself, though, he has an interesting run-in with the man's daughter, Evelina Manning. The book alternates between Barclay's and Evelina's viewpoints, though the novel is solely in third person voice.

Some things I enjoyed about this book:

1. Evelina's not-so-subtle rebellions against an overbearing mother. Their interchanges had me literally laughing out loud at times. I could totally see myself doing the same thing in Evelina's shoes.

2. The character growth of all of the main characters. I loved seeing how they evolved as the story went on and considered things differently when circumstances dictated.

3. Learning about history - things such as German bombings in England through the use of zeppelins because their planes couldn't cross the Channel, the start of the Rolex brand and Daylight Savings Time (I always thought it was the farmers who started that!).

4. Learning some English vocabulary, such as "brolly". I already was aware of "pram" and "boot" (as in car trunk). I also found it amusing that any time there was a frustration, the character would say "Blast!". I think I need to start using that one!

5. Getting some additional closure from the last book. As well as seeing a good end to this particular story-line.

6. Having a mystery that took over much of the story so that the sole point of the book was not the romance aspect.

All in all, this was a great way to end the series! Next from this author is "Number of Love", which will be the first in the Codebreakers series. This will actually be a continuation of this series as well as it focuses on Margot De Wilde, a major character in "A Song Unheard" (book 2 of the Shadows Over England Series) and who made some appearances in this one as well. I look forward to learning more about her story in June of next year!

My review for An Hour Unspent is below!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2305015671

Book Recommendation - Defiant Joy: Taking Hold of Hope, Beauty and Life in a Hurting World

While a vast majority of what I read is Christian fiction, there are a few Christian non-fiction authors that I follow as well. Stasi Eldredge (and her husband John) are among those that I read everything that they put out. Stasi's latest release, Defiant Joy, is one of the best books I've read. In a time when the news is so readily available and we're therefore more aware of all of the suffering in the world (including our own), it is very poignant to have a book on being not only joyful, but defiantly so.

 I went through this book with a highlighter in hand. There were so many wonderful statements that needed to not only be read, but re-read again and again. Here are a few of them in "meme form".

 Stasi pours out her heart and bares the pain of losing loved ones, chronic physical pain, chemical depression, and the feeling of "not fitting in". She doesn't mince words or avoid the tough topics of loss and depression, but instead delves into how we can have joy in the midst of our sorrow. Joy is not the same thing as happiness, but it stems from the hope that we have in Christ. We can have joy regardless of our circumstances because of what Jesus did for us at Calvary. And because He loves us still. He loves us in our pain and in our mess. He is our Father. He is our Savior. And because of that, we can have joy. Defiant joy that stands up to our Enemy and death and pain and suffering, and says "You do NOT have the final say in my life!" Stasi did an interview for the Christian Post, some of which I've included below:

To achieve true and lasting joy in this broken world, one must come to know God's character and hold to the unwavering belief that sorrow and loss do not have the final say. We live in a society defined by heartbreak, loss, and hopelessness. But amid this dark reality, Christians have the opportunity to choose love over fear and experience a joy rooted in the hope found in Christ, Stasi Eldredge, author of Defiant Joy, told The Christian Post.

"Every day, you get on Facebook and you watch the news and your heart breaks for what is going on in people's lives," she said. "We seem so rooted in hopelessness, and that's the antithesis of Christianity."

"Every moment, we are faced with the choice to either be buried by what we see and have that be the canopy under which we live, or to choose to actually obey what we are instructed to in the Word of God: To fix our eyes on Jesus, to choose to ask Him for grace in the face of suffering."

Eldredge, who is also the director of the women's ministry at Ransomed Heart and author of Captivating, told CP that choosing joy doesn't mean denying that pain exists or diminishing the reality of pain and loss. Instead, it means understanding that suffering and joy can coexist.

"Joy isn't about singing in the garden all day; it's not even about a feeling," she explained. "It's about coming to know God more deeply and understanding His character, goodness, and immeasurable love. Joy is the heartbeat of Heaven. It's about acknowledging the reality of the world we live in, but understanding that death doesn't have the final say. It's a shift of gaze. It's holding to the deepest reality that God reigns over the universe and that nothing is up for grabs."

Eldredge speaks from experience; she told CP Defiant Joy was written in "one of the most difficult years" of her life."We lost a brother, we lost our first grandson, we lost our best friend," she said. "I was also in the worst physical pain I'd ever felt in my life due to a hip replacement and struggling with depression."

She continued, "In the midst of my pain, God began to speak to me about my heart being tethered to His in such a way that the reality of my life wasn't something that should bury me, but someplace for me to come to know that He is unwavering, that He isn't thrown by loss, and that loss doesn't have the final say."

In her book, the Kansas native shares personal stories, deep vulnerability, and practical steps readers can take to have the kind of joy that is present in both goodness and grief.

Defiant Joy debuted on October 16, 2018 and is available anywhere books are sold. My review is below.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38915943-defiant-joy

Book Recommendation - Shelter of The Most High

If you enjoy Biblical Historical fiction, then chances are, you have heard of Connilyn Cossette. Her debut novel, Counted With The Stars, was an amazing re-telling of the Exodus, told from the viewpoint of an Egyptian slave, who joined the group of Hebrews leaving Egypt in order to save her brother, a first-born. There were 2 more books after that one in the "Out of Egypt" series that brought the Bible to life in telling of the time in the wilderness and the battle at Jericho. Her current Series, the "Cities of Refuge" series is a continuation of her first series and takes place after the Israelites have settled into the promised land. This time-frame, and these cities, are only briefly mentioned in scripture. So, the fact that Ms. Cossette is still able to bring them to life in a story-telling, but true to history and scripture as can be done, is nothing short of amazing. Shelter of the Most High is the 2nd book in this series and I was blessed to be on the launch team for this book.

This book is a beautiful story of love and mercy, told from alternating points of view of Sofea, a foreigner, and Eitan (who you might remember as as child from book 1, A Light on the Hill). Sofea is the daughter of a high priest in Sicily and one decision one day turns her whole world upside-down. She finds herself (and her cousin with her) in a strange land where the people speak a strange language that she does not understand. Eitan knows the moment that he sees this blue-eyed beauty that he wants to get to know her better, but is not sure how to communicate when she doesn't understand his words. Due to Sofea's experiences and inability to understand, she misinterprets many of the behaviors of this strange people, and it takes awhile for her to understand that the One God of the Hebrews is nothing at all like the gods of Sicily. Similarly, their priests are nothing alike. As she learns that she does not need to fear, she also learns that Yahweh has drawn her here with a purpose and is shown such love and mercy. There are many quotable passages in this book. The one below is one of my favorites. 

Being on the launch team for this book, I had the opportunity to ask the author a few questions of my own, and these really brought out the heart of this book.

Do you relate particularly well to any one of the characters in this book? Why or why not?

I always find little ways I relate to many of my characters but in Shelter of the Most High I think perhaps I connected the most with Eitan’s struggle with recurring self-condemnation. In order to avoid spoilers I won’t say exactly how he handles these issues but I think for me, and for many other followers of Jesus, I have a habit of bringing up my past sins and beating myself over the head with them, even though His grace is sufficient and I have no need to wallow in condemnation any more. If we are in Covenant with Jesus through his blood then we have been freely forgiven, so we must stop letting the Enemy whisper in our ear that we are not worthy. Eitan goes through the process of trying to “earn” forgiveness for something he had already been given grace for and I am guilty of doing the same thing at times. His journey was a great reminder to me that I am already free, so I need to stop acting like a slave to my past!

Was there anything interesting that happened during the writing of this book (or that made its way into the writing of this book) that the average reader wouldn't pick up on?

The biggest change for me was traveling to Israel. I went from having to rely on the internet and Google Earth for my experiences of the Land to getting the opportunity to see and feel and taste and touch and smell those places for myself. It shifted my understanding of the “smallness” of the country and how close everything in the Bible is in relation to one another and gave me a wealth of sensory detail to layer into my stories. I’d already written Shelter of the Most High when I went there but during editing I was able to tweak and expand due to my firsthand experiences. It was life-changing in many ways.

Is there any particular message (that isn't obvious) that you would like your readers to get out of this book?

As I began writing the Cities of Refuge Series I came to the realization that the places God set up as sanctuaries for those convicted of manslaughter (Joshua 20) were a wonderful picture of the Body of Christ and how the Church should relate to the world. Our congregations should be a haven for the hurting, a place of safety and provision for those who are suffering, a place where the teaching of the Word (Torah) is central, a gathering of redeemed people who appreciate the grace and mercy they’ve been given, and a light on the hill to the weary and heavy laden. Throughout the series you’ll see cities of refuge like Kedesh where these principles are upheld and valued and others that have became more focused on wealth, power, self-righteousness or have slidden into idolatry and compromise. History shows us that these cities of refuge were kind of a blip on the timeline, in fact scholar think that many of the 48 cities designated for the Levites by Moses were never even settled. If the Church wants to have an impact on the culture around us, instead of the other way around, we would do well to pattern our congregations after these places of perfectly balanced justice and mercy.

How did you come up with the topic for this story?

Well, in the beginning it was an off-hand comment by my husband’s best friend that I actually laughed off at first and then began to realize was a completely cool premise! But I can’t really tell you what that comment was because it’s a major spoiler! But I also did some research about the Bronze Age and found out there was a real problem with pirates back then and knew I had to weave them in too. The original plot idea was very different and involved more pirates and even some ancient drug trade (yes, there was such a thing) and ended up being a tangled mess that didn’t make much logical sense, so I am really pleased with how it all came together…eventually.

Is Sofea and Eitan’s story finished, or will we see more of them?

The next book, Until the Mountains Fall, opens about 8 years after Shelter of the Most High, so you will definitely see what Eitan and Sofea are up to. I won’t spoil anything about their appearances but I will say that it made me so happy to revisit them and to “see” their love story through the eyes of a grown-up Malakhi (the hero of UTMF).

Until The Mountains Fall is scheduled to come out next summer, which seems an eternity to wait to see what happens next. If you enjoy Biblical Historical fiction, or simply want to bring this mostly unknown portion of the Bible to life, I would strongly recommend this one! Shelter of the Most High is out on October 2, 2018.

Link to my review is below.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2294209409

Book Recommendation -- Hidden Among the Stars

I've seen a great deal of buzz for Melanie Dobson's books, particularly her latest, Hidden Among The Stars. So, when I had a chance to get a copy of it, I knew I needed to check it out. I was immediately drawn in to the story. This was a dual timeline story, which is fast becoming a favorite genre of mine. It combines both history and contemporary (hence the dual timeline), both mystery and romance, and often finds a resolution from the earlier timeline in the modern one, so there's almost always closure in the story of these books. This book did not disappoint on this level. Ms. Dobson is a very talented author, making the book flow both lyrically and between the timelines. The modern timeline was written in 1st person whereas the past timeline was written in 3rd. That actually helped the flow of the book and made it easy to remember which timeline you're in, which is sometimes difficult in this genre.

This book starts in Vienna, Austria in 1938. Annika Knopf has grown up in the shadow of a castle that her father is the paid caretaker of. The castle is owned by the wealthy Dornbach family. Their son, Max is a few years older than Annika, but she is completely smitten with him. Because of that, she is willing to keep his secrets and help him with anything. As Annika grows through the duration of the book, her love for Max is fully demonstrated. Max is in love with Luzia Weiss, who is a Jewish musician. The past timeline shadows the lives of these 3 individuals. The modern timeline follows the life of Callie Randall, who owns a bookstore along with her sister Brie in Mt. Vernon, OH. For her birthday, Brie gets Callie an original German copy of the book "Bambi" and Annika's name is written in the front cover. Callie begins to search for Annika or her descendants to get the story behind the odd added script contained within the pages of the antique volume. As she seeks the story behind the book, the timelines intertwine and Ms. Dobson does an excellent job of drawing the 2 story lines together. This book brought me to tears and really brought to life the plight of the Jews during Hitler's reign. There was also a good bit of character development and growth in both timelines.

The author came across the idea for this novel 15 years ago. She and her husband went back-packing across Europe for their 5th anniversary and one of their favorite spots on the trip was a small town in Austria - Hallstatt. The alpine lakes and the mountains, with the ancient feel of the buildings made Melanie and her husband want to learn more about the history. They learned that near the end of WWII, as the Nazis were fleeing south, they stashed their treasures in nearby lakes, mines, and forests. This was excellent fodder for Ms. Dobson's book. What most captured her imagination, though, was the abandoned castle on the lake shore. As time has passed and information has become more readily available on the internet, she dug further into this mysterious castle and learned that it was used during the war as a Hitler Youth camp. She filled in some of the before and after gaps and built her story around this estate.

A few personal tidbits that made this book particularly interesting to me - the lead character in the modern timeline shares a maiden name with me. We attended the same college and her cat's name was a mix of my dog's and my sister's dog's names. She shares a middle name with my younger sister, and her first name sounds eerily similar. After only a chapter in, I began to wonder if the author had been stalking me! However, it made it much more fun and relateable. I was able to picture exactly where Callie's bookstore was and during the scene where she took a bike ride to clear her head, I could see all of those streets well as I've traveled them myself.

This is a book I would strongly recommend regardless of your genre of choice! Link to my review is below.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2509459129

Book Recommendation - A Secret to Die For

Lisa Harris's most recent novel was one of my most anticipated suspense novels this season. I was super excited to be selected as an influencer for this book. One of the aspects that had me intrigued was that the main character was a psychologist. For those that don't know, my undergrad degree is in Psychology, so I always find it fascinating to see things from their perspective. Ms. Harris did an excellent job of portraying her role. 

Psychologist Grace Callahan has no idea that she has a secret--one worth killing for. But when she finds out one of her clients has been murdered, she quickly realizes that the computer security specialist wasn't simply suffering from paranoia.
Detective Nate Quinn has just been cleared for active duty after a bombing killed eighteen people, including his partner, and left him dealing with PTSD. His first case back on the job involves the murder of Stephen Shaw, and his only lead turns out to be an old friend, Grace Callahan--and her life is in grave danger. Someone believes Shaw gave his psychologist information before he died. Information they are willing to kill for.
With her signature pulse-pounding suspense, Lisa Harris takes readers deep into the heart of fear in this race against the clock.

This book hit the ground running and did not let up in the action. I was drawn in from the get-go and did not know who the "bad guy" was till the very end. The plot-line was scary in its realism and I never knew what was going to happen next. The romance ended up very sweet (though at times felt a bit trite). The spiritual aspect was not overly religious, but addressed the question of where is God when life is hard? At one point Nate is talking to the police chaplain, asking where God is and the response is "Right where he's always been. It doesn't matter what is happening around you. He is here." Both of the main characters struggle with and grown in their faith throughout the book. 

I wanted to conduct an interview for my blog with Ms. Harris, but due to current circumstances (though she is a missionary in Africa, she is currently stateside, caring for her mother after a fall - if you are  praying person, please pray with me for Lisa Harris and her mother), I felt it best not to contact her. However, her publisher, Revell books, offered me their press release interview and I wanted to share a few of those questions here.

What was your inspiration for A Secret to Die For?

As with a lot of my stories, my inspiration started off with a random idea for a heroine, who quickly became Grace Callahan. She was a psychologist, but more than that, she had her own personal giants that she was facing in her life. After I began to flesh out her character, I brought in the hero who was also dealing with loss, and the ideas for the plot line started to come together—both for them personally and for the greater danger they were facing. 

Detective Nate Quinn struggles with PTSD. How did his disorder come in to play in A Secret to Die For? 

At the beginning of the story, Nate has just gone back to work after an explosion took the lives of his partner and several co-workers. And while he wants to be back on the job—even needs to be back—he’s not a hundred percent sure he’s ready. He encounters a number of triggers and begins to realize how his life has changed. He also has to deal with the guilt of being a survivor, which is something very real for those who have gone through trauma and lost people they care about. Grace becomes the perfect person to help him heal, which I love watching play out in the book. 

Was there any part of this book that really surprised you once you began writing it? 

As with a lot of the stories I write, I’m usually not sure who the villain is until the end of the book, and that was definitely true for this story. On the positive side, I’ve decided that if I’m not sure until the end who did it, then hopefully the reader won’t figure it out either!

What do you hope readers gain from reading your book? 

While I definitely want my readers to be entertained—and maybe a bit (okay, a lot) scared—while reading my books, I also want them to discover how God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things for him. People like you and me have the chance to allow God to use us in spite of all our fears and insecurities. I see the spiritual thread in my stories as a part of my characters’ reactions to life. How they react and deal with things on a spiritual level is crucial. Just like in my own life, I don’t want my faith to be simply tacked on but an intricate part of who I am. 

What’s next on your writing to-do list? 

Next up is another stand-alone novel for Revell that I’m super excited about as it takes my hero on a treacherous path I’ve never taken them on before. (Sorry, no spoilers!) 

How can readers connect with you? 

I’d love to hear from you! 

Website: www.lisaharriswrites.com 

Blog: myblogintheheartofafrica.blogspot.com 

Facebook Author: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorLisaHarris 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/heartofafrica 

Pinterest: https://za.pinterest.com/lharriswrites/

You can purchase this book from  your favorite retailer:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2KICneB

Barnes & Noble: https://bit.ly/2lQjUPs

Christianbook.com:

 https://bit.ly/2KEWj2f

Check out my review here:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2378778088