Cheryl's Book Nook

  In her eventful lifetime, Miriam was many things to many people: protective older sister, song leader, prophetess, leper. But between the highs and the lows, she was a girl who dreamed of freedom, a woman who longed for love, a leader who made mistakes, and a friend who valued connection. With her impeccable research and keen eye for detail, bestselling author Jill Eileen Smith offers this epic story to fill in the gaps and imagine how Miriam navigated the challenges of holding on to hope, building a family in the midst of incredible hardship, and serving as a leader of a difficult people, all while living in her brother's shadow. Follow Miriam's journey from childhood to motherhood, obscurity to notoriety, and yearning to fulfillment as she learns that what God promises he provides—in his own perfect timing. My Review As the author points out in the "Note to Reader" this was a hard book to write. The reason being because there is not much known about Miriam. To get...

In an effort to complete a war his father had planned to win, King Xerxes calls every governor, satrap, and official in his vast kingdom to his palace in Susa to strategize and feast. When they finally leave, he decides on one more week of frivolity, which ends in the banishment of his favorite wife, something he never intended to do. But when he discovers Esther, Xerxes is sure he has a second chance at happiness. In her wildest dreams, Esther could never have imagined that she would end up as queen of Persia. Yet she knows better than to become complacent. Another of Xerxes's wives is vying for position, and his closest advisor has a deep and dangerous grudge against Esther's adoptive father. Caught in the middle of palace politics, Esther will find herself in an impossible position: risk her life or consign her people to annihilation. With her impeccable research and her imaginative flair, Jill Eileen Smith brings to life the romantic, suspenseful, and beloved story o...

King Solomon was wealthy and wise beyond measure. He could--and did--have anything he wanted, including many women from many lands. But for all his wisdom, did he or the women in his life ever find what they searched for all of their lives? In this engrossing novel, you'll find yourself whisked away to ancient Israel, where you'll meet Solomon and four of the women he loved: Naamah, the desert princess Abishag, the shepherdess Siti, the daughter of a pharaoh  Nicaula, the queen of Sheba. As you experience the world of Solomon through his eyes and the eyes of these women, you'll ask yourself the ultimate question: Did Solomon's wisdom ultimately benefit him and those he loved . . . or did it betray them? My Review I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. This book is mostly focused on King Solomon and his relationship with God. I do like how the book is parted out by the first half featuring Solomon's first two wives, Naamah and Abishag and...

Life is full of twists and turns. Relationships falter, careers fizzle, health fades. We may be faced with choices we never wanted to make or have situations pushed upon us we'd never expected. Yet, in all of it, God is at our side--even when he feels far away. Drawing on her extensive research into women of the Old Testament, novelist Jill Eileen Smith turns her pen to the lessons in trusting God that we can learn today from women like - Eve - Noah's wife - Sarai - Hagar - Lot's wife - Rebekah - Rachel - and more Readers will learn from what these ancient women did right--and even what they did wrong--when faced with dashed expectations and deferred dreams. And they'll come away with the confidence that ours is a faithful God who loves us and is forming us through our trials into the women he longs for us to be. My Review I have read a handful of books from this author. I am a fan of Jill's fiction books based on women of the Bible. This new book is not too ...

Hannah and her husband, Elkanah, share a deep and abiding love, for each other, for their God, and for his tabernacle at Shiloh. Greatly disturbed by the corruption of the priests, they long for restoration and pray for a deliverer. But nothing changes as the years pass. Years that also reveal Hannah to be barren. Pressured by his family to take another wife, Elkanah marries Peninnah, who quickly begins to bear children. Disgraced and taunted by her husband's new wife, Hannah turns again to prayers that seem doomed to go unanswered. Do her devotion and kindness in the face of Peninnah's cruelty count for nothing? Why does God remain silent and indifferent to her pleas? Travel back to the dusty streets of Shiloh with an expert guide as Jill Eileen Smith brings to life a beloved story of hope, patience, and deliverance that shows that even the most broken of relationships can be restored.    My Review Every book that I have read by this author, I have thoroughly enjoyed. I...

Wife to a gambler who took one too many risks, Rahab finds herself sold as a slave to cover her husband's debt. Forced into prostitution by Dabir, counselor to the Syrian king, Rahab despairs of ever regaining her freedom and her self-respect. But when Israelite spies enter Jericho and come to lodge at her house, Rahab sees a glimmer of hope and the opportunity of a lifetime. In one risky moment, she takes a leap of faith, puts her trust in a God she does not know, and vows to protect the spies from the authorities. When the armies of Israel arrive weeks later, Rahab hopes they will keep their promise, but she has no idea what kind of challenges await her outside Jericho's walls--or if she will ever know the meaning of love. Review by Blanche Mancuso I have read several books by this author and enjoyed every single one of them. I really like this authors stories about the women of the Bible. I thought this book was no exception. It is a great Bible story of biblical day...

Book Summary Beautiful Rachel wants nothing more than for her older half sister Leah to wed and move out of their household. Maybe then she would not feel so scrutinized, so managed, so judged. Plain Leah wishes her father Laban would find a good man for her, someone who would love her alone and make her his only bride. Unbeknownst to either of them, Jacob is making his way to their home, trying to escape a past laced with deceit and find the future God has promised him. But the past comes back to haunt Jacob when he finds himself on the receiving end of treachery and the victim of a cruel bait and switch. The man who wanted only one woman will end up with sisters who have never gotten along and now must spend the rest of their lives sharing a husband. In the power struggles that follow, only one woman will triumph . . . or will she? Combining meticulous research with her own imaginings, Jill Eileen Smith not only tells one of the most famous love stories of all time but will manag...

Rebekah witnesses her brother, Laban convince his way into power at her father’s death bed. Laban becomes the man of the household. As time passes Rebekah realizes that Laban has his own greed in mind and not Rebekah’s best interest when it comes to finding her a husband. Laban is holding out until he finds the highest bidder for his sister. Abraham figures it is time for his son, Isaac to find a wife. Rebekah agrees to marry Isaac. Things are going well in the beginning but as time passes and Rebekah does not bare any children, Isaac and Rebekah start to drift some. That is until Rebekah gives birth to twins. Rebekah is the second book in the Wives of Patriarchs series. You don’t have to read the first book as each book in this series is focused on a different woman in the Bible. I had a pleasurable time reading this book. More then I thought I would. I sat down to start reading this book and by the time that I stopped to take a break, I was almost half way down. I starte...

Bathsheba is a loyal wife. She knows her duty as Uriah’s wife. Uriah is a military man for King David. Uriah worries that when he leaves again for war that Bathsheba won’t have anything to keep her occupied. Bathsheba and Uriah’s love is more about honor than it is about feelings. While attending an event, Bathsheba meets King David. It is not long afterwards that Uriah leaves for war. It is at this time that King David can not get Bathsheba out of his mind. He sends for her and they end up sharing the night together. How will King David and Bathsheba handle the consequences of their actions? Bathsheba is book three of the Wives of King David novels. This book can be read as a stand alone novel. Though, after reading this book, I do plan to check out books one and two. I know this sounds silly but I thought that King David was going to be domineering and I would not like him. This was not the incidence. In fact I fell in love with King David. I thought he was so kind to Bathsheba and h...