About the book:
The Old Testament Comes to Thrilling Life in the Latest from Lynn Austin
In
one life-changing moment, the lives of the Jewish exiles in Babylon are
thrown into confusion and despair when a decree arrives from the king's
palace in Susa. It calls for the annihilation of every Jewish man,
woman, and child throughout the empire on the thirteenth day of Adar, in
less than one year. Ezra, a quiet Jewish scholar and teacher, is
suddenly called upon to lead the community as they seek God for a reason
for this catastrophe. When a second decree arrives, authorizing them to
fight back, Ezra is thrust into the role of military leader as they
defend themselves against their enemies.
When
the battles come to an end, Ezra's brother Jude is dead and Ezra is
required by the Law he so diligently studies to marry Jude's widow,
Devorah, and provide an heir. Fatherhood changes Ezra, and he asks God
to make a way for him and the other exiles to leave Babylon for good and
return to Jerusalem. His prayers are answered and the exiles move to
Judea to revitalize worship at the temple---but the fight to keep God's
Law is never easy. As more and more of his community are tempted, a new
battle emerges . . . this one for the survival of God's covenant and the
souls of His chosen faithful.
My review: This was another fascinating and well-written book by Lynn Austin! I love when there are multiple story lines, with the story of Ezra, Reuben, a teenage Jewish boy at the time of the battle, and Amina, a crippled Edomite girl taken in by the Jews after the battle. I really felt like I was there as Ezra mourned his brother's death and felt for both him and his sister-in-law, Devorah, as they decide to marry and obey God's law, even though they felt awkward about it. Devorah was such a wise, wonderful character and really knew her Torah! Reuben frustrated me because he was so angry after his father's death that he turned his back on God and made some horrible choices, but it was great to see him turn his life around. I loved Amina and her story about which god she'll choose to worship and which people she'll decide to stay with. There's a couple sweet love stories, along with so much history and study of the Torah it almost feels like you're taking a class! This book really made the Old Testament stories and people come alive. This book takes place years after the first one and can easily be read as a stand-alone. I highly recommend it!
I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity in exchange for an honest review.
I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity in exchange for an honest review.
Purchase a copy: http://ow.ly/C7ss8
About the Author:
Bestselling author Lynn Austin
has sold more than one million copies of her books worldwide. She is an
eight-time Christy Award winner for her historical novels, as well as a
popular speaker at retreats and conventions. Lynn and her husband have
raised three children and live near Chicago.
Lynn is celebrating with a Kindle HDX giveaway and a live author chat webcast on October 21st.
- A Kindle HDX
- Keepers of the Covenant by Lynn Austin
So grab your copy of Keepers of the Covenant and join Lynn and friends on the evening of October 21st for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)
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