The Crimson Cord - A Review

Published - February, 2015, Revell Books a Division of Baker Publishing Group
Series - Daughters of the Promised Land Book 1
Author - Jill Eileen Smith
Title - The Crimson Cord
Format - ebook, paper
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Rahab is the wife of a gambler who took one too many risks. Because of her husband's recklessness, she finds herself sold as a slave to pay her husband's debts. Slavery isn't all she is forced to become. Soon she finds herself forced into prostitution. With each passing day, Rahab yearns for her freedom and to regain her self-respect. When two Israelite spies enter Jericho, Rahab takes a leap of faith and offers them shelter if they will promise her safety. With the walls coming down around her, Rahab soon discovers the forgiveness of a God she doesn't know, but yearns to know. But will she ever know love?

I don't typically read Biblical fiction. It isn't one of my favorite genres. But when I do pick up a book based on the Bible, I typically find myself captivated. This one was no exception. I know who Rahab is of course. Her story is a familiar one to me. But I always enjoy finding out the more to the story.

One of the things I enjoyed about this book was that this author explained how Rahab came to be a prostitute. I felt sorry for her. She ended up being an outcast in her own family. I loved how she would search for answers and once the Israelites came to her rescue, she was able to find answers.

There were parts of the book I skimmed over. That's normal for me with Biblical fiction. And with most of what I read. But I still found the book to be a pleasant read. There was a lot of action. And just getting a chance to delve deeper into Rahab's story was good too.

I received this book for free from Revell Books for the purpose of reviewing. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

Recommended to fans of Biblical fiction, Francine Rivers, Mesu Andrews, Jill Eileen Smith

Rating - 4 stars

Rebekah - A Review

When her father dies, Rebekah's hope for a husband rests with her brother Laban selecting one for her. Yet as time passes and he does nothing, she wonders if she's meant for something else. The unexpected visitor from Abraham arrives seeking Rebekah for a wife for his master's son Issac. Rebekah departs to marry a cousin she'd never met. As she begins her life as wife to the promised one, she has no idea just how much her life will change. Or how deeply the birth of her own twin sons will tear a rift between Issac and herself. Will Issac forgive her?

The story of Issac and  Rebekah is told in the book of Genesis. Yet anytime that I read Biblical fiction, I enjoy getting a glimpse into the details that we aren't told in Scripture. Details are left up to the author's imagination. The author did a good job of describing how life might have been like living in tents and moving from field to field as a community of shepherds. The book helps to give life and breath to Biblical characters that we really only know from what we read in the Bible.

Was the book good? Yes. Did I enjoy it? Yes again. But to be perfectly honest, and this has nothing to do with the author's writing or the story itself, I wasn't in the mood to read this genre once I'd gotten about a fourth of the way finished with the book. So I put the book down for several days and read other things. Even when I picked it up again, I still wasn't in the mood to read it, but I finished. And I'm pleased to say that I did not let my mood hamper my review of the book. I just know that I'll be taking a break from Biblical fiction for a long time.

I received this book for free from the publisher Revell Books for the purpose of reviewing. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

Recommended to fans of Biblical fiction.

Rating -4 stars

Available in February 2013 at your local bookstore from Revell Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group.




Join the author, Jill Eileen Smith, on Tuesday February 19th at 7:00 pm EST for a live interactive video chat session to chat about the book. Additional information can be found below.

Join best-selling author Jill Eileen Smith as she presents ten facts and/or possibilities you might not know about the Patriarch Isaac's wife Rebekah. Do you have a question about the people in the Bible you've always wanted to ask? Jill will take questions about biblical characters, biblical fiction, and about any of her books in the Wives of the Patriarchs or Wives of King David series. So please, plan to join us!

Please RSVP here. 

Michal - A Review

The daughter of King Saul falls in love with a simple shepherd, who happens to be God's chosen king. Michal convinces her father to allow her to marry David. When David must flee for his life because of Saul's desire to kill him, she helps him escape. In response to her help, her father gives her as a bride to another man. Yes she does rejoin King David's household. But her position is no longer that of the first wife, and she's bitter.

This book has been on my to be read list for a long time. I've read the Biblical account of David and Michal's story several times. I've always loved having a chance to read a historical fiction based upon events of the Bible. I think that the author did a good job of building a story around the events of David's life. Staying true to Scripture and still telling a captivating story is a good feat.

I read the Kindle edition of the book.

Rating - 4 stars