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. 

 

Little Miss Diagnosed

 

Little Miss Diagnosed

By: Dr. Erin Nance

Genre: Nonfiction

Like most of you, I know of Dr. Nance through her social media presence- particularly on Tick Tok. I am one of her numerous followers tuning in to hear her thoughts and advice on various medical topics. It took only a few seconds to pick up on her caring nature and love for patients- not just hers, but any. She didn't pretend the medical field wasn't a flawed one. She was real, honest, and a born fighter for those who needed one.

Little Miss Diagnosed is an extension of all of this. She tells you her medical school journey. She takes you behind the medical walls with stories and lessons learned along the way. She shares with you the one medical emergency that brought her to her knees. My heart melted as she unfolds the story of her brother and all the ways her colleagues stepped in to help her.

Amongst the heartwarming and tear jerking, you will find stories that will reveal the flaws in the medical system. How situations can change on a dime. Professionals who were not the professional they should've been. Losses and wins. Dr. Nance gets vulnerable with balancing pregnancy and residency. Misjudgments made by her, and fellow doctors around her. 

While this book wasn't a long read, it was impactful. I appreciated her vulnerability, honesty & humility. I felt I got a better idea of what goes on when wearing the various medical uniforms. 

So, if you're a fan of medical shows or have any interest in the medical field, I encourage you to settle in and listen to what Dr. Erin Nance has to tell you. Let her pour encouragement into you. Let her show you ways you can get around a flawed system at times. Mostly, let her restore some faith in you that there are doctors out there willing to fight for you.

  

A Clean Mess

 

A Clean Mess

By: Tiffany Jenkins

Genre: Memoir

Summary:

In her previous book, High Achiever, Tiffany shares her addiction story. In this follow-up, she takes you through her recovery and into her marriage. As she lives life's ups and downs while not relying on her addiction for help, some things were unsalvable. Within these pages, Tiffany shares her marriage to a fellow addict and how it all came tumbling down.

You, like myself, probably know Tiffany Jenkins from her funny videos. I related to many of them far more than I'd like to admit- as did countless others. I read her first book and learned how her addiction came to be and how it, eventually, spiraled out of control costing her everything. Due to the number of years (and books read since), I don't remember if she opens up about her marriage in High Achiever. If she did, I know it wasn't in the detail A Clean Mess goes into.

Tiffany walks you through her meeting her now ex-husband at a sober anniversary ceremony. It was instant attraction for her. The draw to him was undeniable. Once she knew those feelings were returned, they were a force unable to stop. Their relationship moved at lightening speed- with the aid of an unplanned & unexpected pregnancy. Lies were told to cover up their actions so they wouldn't be thrown out of their sober living facilities. Secrets were kept from the very people wanting to help Tiffany. But she had her man and that was all she needed.

Things were rough for awhile, but they were able to carve out a little life for themselves and their daughter. Life being what it is, threw them another cure ball by adding his daughter from a previous relationship into the mix. They made a family and bonded. Life was going well. Stress was survived. Ups and downs were lived through. Sobriety was continuous- until it wasn't.

One weekend turned Tiffany's life upside down. I don't think I'm spoiling anything by saying a bachelor weekend her husband went on- with fellow addicts- cost him his wife, life and hard earned 14 years of sobriety. Lies told her husband and uncovered by Tiffany's sleuthing were the fallout that couldn't be recovered from. Now, as she's navigating a successful career and comedy tour, she's also navigating divorce and single parenting. 

As the book bounces back and forth between their romance unfolding and the wake of the fall out from divorce, Tiffany shares her feelings. How did she handle what she never wanted to? How did she learn to make a new life for herself that looked nothing like the one she had? Was this just the inevitable? As she wades through the wreckage, she finds herself. And she takes you along with her. She'll even tell you what it was like to learn that he had moved on before she did.

Overall, while it wasn't as engrossing for me as High Achiever, I'm glad I read this book. I've been cheering her on on social media and now know more of what was going on. I've been loving seeing her on the other side, and now I know what she went through to get to that other side. Fans of her work will connect to her newest book and love seeing our high achiever become a overcomer.

Insignificant Others

 

Insignificant Others

By: Sarah Jio

Genre: Fiction

Summary:

When Lena Westbrook's night doesn't go according to plan, she has no idea that it's just the tip of the iceberg. Lena's going to find out what it would've been like if any of her previous relationships had worked out.

Lena Westbrook is thinking tonight's the night she and her boyfriend will get engaged. Not only does that plan not work out, but she's given a weird conveyor belt analogy as part of the reason. Devastated, Lena goes to visit her Aunt and take some time to sort out her feelings. Her life goes in a completely different direction when she falls asleep in the guest house- located in Seattle, Washington- but wakes up in Paris, France.

Thus begins her journey of spending one day in the lives she would have lived if any of the men who came into her life (in various forms) had worked out. These days take her all over the world and give her a chance to live many different lives. 

There's the marriage she where she and her husband are cheating. Or the life where she married a man she went on a couple of dates with, but make a life on a farm in Pennsylvania. The life she wakes up to where she discovers her husband is a con artist who scams retired people out of their money. In some lives, she deals with the subject of children- in the various forms in comes in. By the time she wakes up back in the guest house, Lena has learned far more about herself than she anticipated. Somehow, things never before on her radar now are. She learns that a big ring doesn't lead to a happy life. And sometimes, the life you really need is the last one you expected to want.

Once again, Sarah Jio has delivered a fascinating story. I was glued to what each new life was going to look like and reveal to her. The different careers and types of lives she lived out were captivating. I wanted to see what would unfold next. I chuckled at the funny scenes- be careful around an ice sculpture & when milking a cow), had my heart strings tugged at the encounters with children. Cheered her on when she rights the wrongs done by her crook husband. It was an emotional journey of discovery for not just Lena, but the reader as well. This book triggered me reflecting on my own past romances and what I learned from each one. Thank you, Sarah, for giving me another story to get lost in.