Bread of Angels {by Tessa Afshar}

Title: Bread of Angels
Author: Tessa Afshar
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Genre: Biblical Fiction
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
source: publisher

Purple. The foundation of an influential trade in a Roman world dominated by men. One woman rises up to take the reins of success in an incredible journey of courage, grit, and friendship. And along the way, she changes the world.
But before she was Lydia, the seller of purple, she was simply a merchant's daughter who loved three things: her father, her ancestral home, and making dye. Then unbearable betrayal robs her of nearly everything.
With only her father's secret formulas left, Lydia flees to Philippi and struggles to establish her business on her own. Determination and serendipitous acquaintances--along with her father's precious dye--help her become one of the city's preeminent merchants. But fear lingers in every shadow, until Lydia meets the apostle Paul and hears his message of hope, becoming his first European convert. Still, Lydia can't outrun her secrets forever, and when past and present collide, she must either stand firm and trust in her fledgling faith or succumb to the fear that has ruled her life.

I really enjoyed this one. One thing I love about Tessa Afshar is that she chooses characters to write about that aren't really talked about or written about. I don't think much thought is given to Lydia, a seller of purple briefly mentioned in the Bible as one of Paul's friends, so I really enjoyed this story and getting to envision her life.

Lydia helps her father, a renowned seller of purple. When they are betrayed, Lydia has no choice but to flee to Philippi, the only place in the empire where a woman can run her own business. I liked Lydia. Her being "fearful" is I think what we would today think of as anxiety, so it was nice to see that represented in an era where it really isn't talked about. She was just trying to do the best she could in a world that didn't afford her many opportunities. She worked hard, and I think she was a great character.

This book spans over 20 years, which I thought was refreshing. It wasn't just a story about a young girl, it shows her life, shows her as a middle-aged woman. It also wasn't a romance, although there is a slight bit there at the end, which was nice.

This was probably my favorite Tessa Afshar book to date. I loved the world she has crafted, the characters, and this story. It was a beautiful book that captivated me from the start.

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Land of Silence {by Tessa Afshar}

Title: Land of Silence

Author: Tessa Afshar

Genre: Biblical retelling

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Source: NetGalley

Before Christ called her daughter . . .
Before she stole healing by touching the hem of his garment . . .
Elianna is a young girl crushed by guilt. After her only brother is killed while in her care, Elianna tries to earn forgiveness by working for her father’s textile trade and caring for her family. When another tragedy places Elianna in sole charge of the business, her talent for design brings enormous success, but never the absolution she longs for. As her world unravels, she breaks off her betrothal to the only man she will ever love. Then illness strikes, isolating Elianna from everyone, stripping everything she has left.
No physician can cure her. No end is in sight. Until she hears whispers of a man whose mere touch can heal. After so many years of suffering and disappointment, is it possible that one man could redeem the wounds of body . . . and soul? 

I enjoyed this story so much. When it comes to Biblical retelling, we see so many of the same ones over and over again, so I thought this was an interesting take on someone we've never really seen before.

Like always, Afshar's writing is vivid and beautiful, down to the details, making the reader feel immersed into this world. I love seeing different cultures and history, and I thknk that is something Afshar always does so well.

I loved the characters as well, and I feel that Afshar really brought them to life. Elianna's case is unusual, that she would be allowed so much freedom to work, etc. (although this is made clear), but I felt that she was written very well. It felt like reading about an old friend, and I got sucked in, feeling the highs and lows of every emotion along with her.

I admire Afshar's ability to take a few sentences from the Bible, and weave a beautiful, thrilling tale from it. No longer is she a nameless character, but someone full of beauty and life. Afshar is such a talented writer, and as always, I look forward to her next work.

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Mini Reviews: If the Shoe Fits, In the Field of Grace

Title: If the Shoe Fits

Author: Sandra D. Bricker

Genre: Christian Contemporary Romance

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

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Received from publisher

Julianne used to believe in fairy tales; she's been watching for Prince Charming to come charging in on his white steed ever since the day her mother read her Cinderella for the first time. But she's never come close to finding the perfect man-instead she's always tripping over her childhood best friend, Will. And who finds their Prince Charming on a 10-speed bicycle on the other side of the cul de sac? Well... Julianne does. Only she doesn't have a clue.

She and Will are attorneys now, and they've joined up in private practice in a beautiful Cincinnati office building that overlooks the Ohio River. And then one day Julianne is on her way to court, and runs right smack dab into Prince Charming. But when she looks again, all she finds is a metaphoric sign she is certain came straight from Heaven: The Prince's toolbox has fallen off the back of his truck, and a work boot along with it. What better way for God to grab the attention of a Cinderella-in-training than to show her a glass slipper...errrr, work boot?...waiting to be reunited with its owner?

So she sets out to track down the mysterious Prince Charming. He's the most gorgeous guy she's ever seen...and a caring animal rescuer, too. Surely he must be the soul mate God has prepared her for.

But, Julianne's prince is starting to look less and less charming all the time. No matter how she tries to romanticize him, he just keeps tumbling down off that dumb pedestal. And with the Bar Association dinner coming up that will honor her for her outstanding charity work over the year, Julianne wants so much for her friends and colleagues to see her with someone besides her best friend Will. To make matters worse, Prince Charming has no designs on wearing a penguin suit and attending a stuffy old dinner. With her pride pressing in on her like sticks from a cactus, Julianne sinks to the bottom of the proverbial barrel and actually offers to pay Paul to be her date.

Julianne is on a collision course with God's perfect plan for her life...if only she could open her eyes and see it before it's too late.

This was a cute and hilarious story. I love my modernized fairytales, and this was no exception. It was light, fluffy, and sweet. Of course, it wasn't all fluffy, as it had deeper themes and meanings, but it was a quick, fun read.

Julianne is looking for her Prince Charming. After a run-in with a handsome guy who rescued a dog, Julianne is convinced that he is the one and sets out looking for him. To her surprise, she actually finds him. She has romanticized this idea of him, and won't listen when her best friend, Will, tries to reason with her.

Although Julianne is a quirky, kind, fun person otherwise, her obsession with this guy--Paul--was more than slightly annoying. The way she kept holding on to him even when he proved they probably weren't meant to be. Will himself provided angst as everyone but Julianne knows he's in love with her, and yet he still doesn't do anything.

Bricker has such a witty and hilarious writing style, and this time was no different. The antics of the characters will have you laughing out loud. The light, humorous way that Julianne and Will figure out exactly what they want, and how to get there, will have you sympathizing and shaking your head at them at the same time.

This is a sweet, fun book that is a quick, but entertaining read, especially for those who like their best friends romances.

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Title: In the Field of Grace

Author: Tessa Afshar

Genre: Biblical Historical Fiction

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Received from publisher

Without wealth or family, the widow Ruth left her people and followed Naomi, her beloved Hebrew mother-in-law, to rebuild Naomi's home in Israel. Provisions gone and starvation at the door, Ruth used all that she had left--a strong back and a willing heart--to gather grain in a field, abandoned after the harvest.

Tormented by others, Ruth is shocked to find the owner of the field watching her. Talking to her. Bringing food to her and Naomi. Boaz tells himself his kindness toward Ruth is repayment for the love she has shown to his cousin Naomi. But his heart knows better.

I've read quite a few Ruth stories, but this one still managed to seem different and unique and captivated me. I love my Biblical retellings, and this one was no different.

I liked how this one veered from some of the other Ruth stories that are out there to stand out. I love how Afshar added in Boaz's first wife, which I hadn't seen before. I also liked how Afshar reimagined Ruth's growing up/family life as not-so-positive, which I also hadn't seen done before. And the epilogue, skipping all the way over to David and Solomon, was interesting and a great way to end the story.

The writing style captured me from the beginning, and captivated me the whole way through. I liked how it switched perspectives from Boaz to Ruth, to add another dimension to the story. The culture was well researched, and made me feel like she knew what she was talking about, which I've always found important.

I respect the creative license the author took with the story, as she still made it seem true and respectful to the Biblical account. I felt like Ruth and Boaz were real people, with real emotions and feelings, instead of just someone from so long ago, that we only hear stories about.

Retelling a Bible story can be hard, but I think Afshar did a great job not only creatively but emotionally, bringing a new depth to the story.

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Tessa Afshar:

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