Dana’s Blog

A Beautiful Story of Desperate Longing Like a deep and dangerous river, layers of emotion sweep through Liz Tolsma’s WHAT I LEFT FOR YOU. Two stories flow side-by-side, growing ever closer. In 1942, Helena Kostyszak, an educated woman of ethnic minority, flees Hitler’s armies to save a Jewish baby. A contemporary story branches from the historical. In 2023, McKenna Muir...

Although I write historical fiction set in Bible Times, I often read other genres. Sometimes I enjoy a book so much, I want to share it with all you.  Sub Tales is a somewhat quirky choice, and I can’t wait to hear what you think of my review and, if you read it, the book An exciting and entertaining collection...

Buried between layers of genealogy, an obscure biblical passage comes to life in Naomi Craig’s lively tale, She’erah’s Legacy. I really enjoyed the characters. She’erah is a strong-minded dreamer, an architect in ancient times. She’s also the granddaughter of Joseph (yes, that Joseph) and the daughter of his half-Egyptian son Ephraim. Her personality and goals push the limits of tradition,...

As a reader who enjoyed all of Mesu Andrews’ novels, I’ve found my new favorite. IN FEAST OR FAMINE is masterfully told historical fiction set in Bible times. The story world is magnificently rendered. You will see ancient Egypt, the intrigues, the glitter, and the danger. And I loved the characters! They have deep desires, pure and impure motives, and...

Is truth worth the price if it costs you everything? Tribune Glabrio places high value on truth and honor. So much so that he pursues investigations with dogged determination, even when his superior hints that his job might proceed more profitably if he would leave off questioning certain high officials. When Glabrio responds “Getting to the truth and delivering justice...

Meet Princess Zuleika – Potiphar’s Wife as you have never seen her before Mesu Andrews reveals one of the Bible’s bad girls as a Minoan princess tossed by circumstance into the Egyptian court in her novel Potiphar’s Wife. Desperate to save her island kingdom after an earth-shattering event wreaks havoc, she agrees to her father’s plan to offer her in...

She has broken a law that carries the death penalty ~ In second century Rome, Licinia doesn’t want to leave all she knows and loves, but she has broken a law that carries the death penalty – she is a Christian. Worse, she shared her faith with her friend, a Roman matron. Her brother Sextus, not a Christian himself, has...

“Take me with you.” This audacious request changed everything for Rahab the Harlot. You’ve heard of her. A girl no better than she ought to be, Rahab made her living selling herself to the men of ancient Jericho. She was betrayed by her father, reviled by the city women, and disdained by her own family, who still didn’t mind taking...

I almost didn’t read this book. Even though I’d previously read Prophetess, another in The Daughters of the Promised Land series, I’ve always been uncomfortable with the story of Hannah–how could she give up her son? But I reminded myself how much I loved Prophetess and decided to read Hannah’s story. I’m so glad I did. Smith perfectly renders the...