Daughter of Egypt

 

Daughter of Egypt

By: Marie Benedict

Genre: Historical Fiction, Fiction

Summary:

1919- Following in her father's archaeology footsteps, Eve's passionate about Egypt's past. So much so, she wants to find the tomb of the only female pharaoh, Hatshepsut. Her mother, however, has plans for her daughter to find a suitable husband. Life changes for Eve when she's allowed to accompany her father on one of his digs on Egypt. 

1486 BC- You meet Hatshepsut as a Princess. One who destined to not only stay one, but become what no other female had- Pharaoh. You follow her journey and the sacrifices that come with it. 

I have to be honest from the get go- I'm not the biggest fan of Egyptian history. I get confused with all the intricacies of Pharoah times. All the roles and rules tend to overwhelm my history loving brain. I find it fascinating, but a little overwhelming. So much so, that I don't have a good track record with books centering around this time period. Being a huge fan of Marie Benedict, I was willing to be putty in her hands. I had much more success listening to the book in audiobook form than I did reading it. The two narrators brought the story to life for me.

Starting the book, I knew nothing about Hatshepsut. I knew nothing of the numerous roles she played prior to becoming Pharoah, but I quickly learned she was a multitasker from the minute we meet her to the minute we say goodbye to her. Her future was never meant to have the role of leader in it, but circumstances brought forced her hand. Even having the book narrated for me, her life was slightly confusing to follow. But I'm glad I kept up with it. Every step of her journey was done with poise and respect to those who led her way. She was a leader who led her people with their best interest in mind and ruled with a dignity few can claim to have. Hatshepsut was a woman of strength who did what was best for her people- not her. While she was only Pharoah until her nephew was old enough to take over, she was a stunning example of how it should be done. I was captivated by how Marie Benedict played out the connection between Hatshepsut and her co-ruler. Not to mention how it extended to her name being removed from everything it once appeared on. 

Eve was another trailblazer for her time. In the 1920s, war had just ended and women were expected to marry not go trapsing around in the dirt looking for artifacts of time long ago. However, that's not our girl wanted to do. Having watched her father's archaeology career, she became just as fascinated with uncovering Egyptian tombs as her father was. Now that Valley of the Kings has been reopened for digging, she has set her sights on finding the tomb of the only female Pharoah, Hatshepsut, not the husband her mother wants her to find. When she gets to accompany her father on his next dig, she is front and center for discoveries that alter her life's course. 

While both women step out of their society's expectations, they both learn the hard way it isn't easy to do so. Every success they have comes with a heartbreaking reality. The good is accompanied with bad and neither women are the same. Both courageously set out on paths that forever change them. 

I will say, Daughter of Egypt wasn't my favorite Marie Benedict book. I enjoyed it, but Egyptian storylines rarely grab me as much as I wish they would. This book was good and you are in for a great read. I had a better time listening to the book over reading it. I'm glad I kept with it. 

Take a weekend to travel back in time. Meet two women who live out their journeys with strength and dignity. Learn about a woman who few remember. Curl up and get lost in the Daughter of Egypt.

The Lie You Don't Know You Believe

 

The Lie You Don't Know You Believe

By: Jennie Allen

Genre: Christian Living/ Non-Fiction

Summary:

Have you ever thought something for so long that, to you, it became fact? What if it wasn't really fact, but a lie you told yourself for so long you began to believe it? How does this happen? Why does this happen? More importantly, how do make it stop? Jennie Allen's The Lie You Don't Know You Believe has some answers and would love to help you.

Buckle up, readers. We're all guilty of negative self-talk. We're all guilty of being hard on ourselves. But have you ever stopped and really paid attention to the things you tell yourself? Is it really true, or something you've just said so many times it morphed into truth? This book made me stop and analyze this within myself. Unfortunately, there are lies I didn't know I believed. 

Jennie Allen informs you that we usually fall under one of a few core lies. Those core lies aren't true, but we decide they are. And before long, we've said/ believed them for so long they become hard fact in our minds. But they don't have to be. 

As you read through The Lie You Don't Know You Believe, you are going to breakdown the lies, figure out how it got there, and learn what's the truth about it. Mistakes, flaws, insecurities are not truth of who you are. They are truth to feelings you felt in a given situation. However, lies have the ability to take on a life of their own and drive you down roads you never meant to be on. 

While reading this book, I found a lie I'd been telling myself is a fact for decades, because once upon a time it my circumstances brought those feelings into my life. God never said I was what those lies did. But, nevertheless, 30 years later they were still prevalent when they no longer needed to be. This book helped me compare the lie to the truth, and allowed me to see things for what they really are- not what Satan encouraged me to think they were.

I encourage you to do yourself the favor of reading this book and exposing the lies in your life. Don't let shame, guilt or fear dictate your views anymore. Take the steps to reclaim your life and begin to stand on what's true. 

The Violin Maker's Secret

 

The Violin Maker's Secret

By: Evie Woods

Genre: Fiction

Summary:

A violin turned into an airport lost and found unites 3 people as they race to uncover it's past. As they try to stay one step ahead of the thief who wants the violin back, they experience the magic that makes the violin unique. 

Once you open the pages of The Violin Maker's Secret, be prepared to go on an adventure! Evie Woods will take you back to the early 1800s to walk you through this special instrument's inception, creation and it's journey to 2025. You'll read how a jealous sibling leads to her sister's soul being encaptured within the wood used to make the violin. This leads to the gift each owner of the violin thenceforth experiences.

Evie Woods introduces you to the violin when it's found in Heathrow airport's lost and found in 2025. Devlin, a baggage claim handler for the airport, buys it as a present for his girlfriend. Not only does said girlfriend not want to instrument (she was expecting an engagement ring), but a break-in accompanied by a threatening message referring to the violin forces Devlin to go on the run. His first stop is his former teacher, Walter. Walter then leads them to an appraiser's shop belonging to a friend. While the friend isn't there, his daughter, Gabrielle, is. All 3 experience the magic of the violin and band together to keep the thieves from getting it back. In doing so, they set out to track the maker of the violin in the hopes answers to their problem will also be found.

What ensues is a country crossing adventure 3 lonely individuals band together for. You also get and amazing story of the violin's life. You'll read how each owner's life is impacted- good or bad- by possessing the violin. You'll meet the woman determined, through whatever means necessary, to get back the one thing that mattered most to her. 

Friendship form, love blossoms and greed leads to an undoing as you read The Violin Maker's Secret. I loved it and will be at my bookstore to be buy once it opens. Evie Woods is amazing at telling stories that just engulf you wholeheartedly, and her newest release is no exception. Happy Reading!

Don't Stop Praying

 

Don't Stop Praying

By: Matthew West

Genre: Christian Non-Fiction/Christian Living

Summary:

Join Matthew West in his latest addition to his book repertoire. Not only does Matthew pick the Lord's Prayer apart and take you through it line by line, he pulls the curtain back on it to explain it. He brings in personal experiences from his own life to show how they influenced, or strengthened, his own prayer  life. And, since it's the name of one of his songs, he talks about the origin of how the song came to be and the impact it had on him.

When you hear the name Matthew West, most of us connect him to the Christian music he's put out. However, he's been adding author to his name over the years, as well. I've always enjoyed his past books, so I expected nothing different with Don't Stop Praying. And I wasn't disappointed.

He starts the book of with telling you of an exercise he and one of his daughter's did while at a camp. When you have to be a 2 person team and one of them is blindfolded, you just know a lesson is in the making. When the blindfolded one is depended on the other's voice- and that voice is eventually silenced except for one statement, things just got real. The 2 are always near, never really separated. But how easy it was to forget the instructions given in the beginning when real life confusion sets in. 

So, yeah. I was hooked. **All participants were safe and never injured. (Just in case you were concerned. Like I was)

Matthew tackles the role of prayer in our lives. My favorite part was when he dissected The Lord's Prayer- line by line. He explains each line and how it applies to our lives now. He reminds you how powerful prayer is- even when you don't see the results you wanted. He informs you the whole purpose behind prayer and the connection with God is starts.

He lists the different types of prayer- for strength, courage, miracles. He doesn't leave out the controversial- pray for your enemies. Not a loved one, but a necessary one. He explains why praying for the people you don't like is important. Again, not everyone's favorite prayer topic, but a necessary one.

Each chapter ends with a prayer challenge and questions to dig deeper with. So Matthew really makes the book an interactive read for you to engage with instead of just read. And while the book isn't a long one (around 270 pages), he packs a lot into those pages.

If you're looking to work on your prayer life, I encourage you to pick this book up. If you're looking to challenge your prayer life, I encourage you to let Don't Stop Praying be a way to do it.