BOOK REVIEW: REBEKAH by JILL EILEEN SMITH

Rebekah

A Novel

by: Jill Eileen Smith

series: Wives of the Patriarchs

About the book . . . 

Can love heal the rift between two souls?

When her beloved father dies and she is left in the care of her conniving brother Laban, Rebekah knows her life has changed forever. Though she should be married by now, it’s clear that Laban is dragging his feet, waiting for a higher bride-price to line his pockets. But then Rebekah is given a chance to leave her home to marry Isaac, a cousin she has never even seen, and her hope for the future is restored. Little does she know what a wondrous and heart-wrenching journey she is beginning.

As Rebekah experiences the joy of young love and the bitterness of misunderstanding and betrayal, her resolve is tested. When the rift between Isaac and her grows so wide it is surely too great to be mended, can she trust the God of Isaac’s father Abraham to bridge the gap?

Where to Purchase

• Baker Retail
• Amazon.com
• Barnes & Noble
• Christianbook.com

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Jill Smith will be the featured guest on a Live interactive Video Chat Session sponsored by “Shindig” on Tuesday February 19th at 7:00 pm EST!! It’s free to attend, and you can meet Jill and ask any questions you have for her! Go here to RSVP and find out more details about this event.

http://shindig.com/event/jilleileensmith

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!

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 About the author . . .          

Jill Eileen Smith is the author of the bestselling Michal, Abigail, and Bathsheba, all part of The Wives of King David series, and of Sarai, book 1 in the Wives of the Patriarchs series. Her writing has garnered acclaim in several contests. Her research into the lives of biblical women has taken her from the Bible to Israel, and she particularly enjoys learning how women lived in Old Testament times. Jill lives with her family in southeast Michigan.

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Reader review . . . 

Rebekah worries that her brother is going to betroth her to the highest bidder with no thought of her happiness, so when she is given the chance to wed her cousin Isaac, whom she has never seen, she agrees.  She has heard of his father Abraham and his covenant with God and knows that this is where she belongs.  

After years of barrenness, she became pregnant when God answered their prayers.  During the pregnancy, God revealed His plan for her twin sons. Her faith in the promise of God causes strife in her marriage, and her impatience caused her to plot with her son Jacob to bring about God's plan.

The women of the Old Testament have long fascinated me.  Although they are often seen as second-class citizens in that time and place, a closer look reveals that they were often strong, determined women whose faith was as strong as that of the men.  In this second installment of Jill Eileen Smith's series, Wives of the Patriarchs, the author presents the story of Rebekah, who daughter-in-law of Abraham, wife of Isaac, and mother of Esau and Jacob.  She has stayed true to the Biblical account while fleshing out the story only when necessary.  Rebekah is seen as a woman with strong principles, while also having the same human shortcomings that exist today.  Rebekah's inner conflict with her desire to "help" God out with His plan is clearly portrayed, as is the marital conflict experienced by Rebekah and Isaac.  

Ms. Smith has written a novel that answers my need to more closely explore the lives of the women of the Old Testament.  I will be looking for her other novels, especially Sarai and Bathsheba.  

Recommended for adolescents and up; will appeal to historical fiction fans as well as students of Biblical history.

5 stars

“Available February 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Revell. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

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2013 A-Z Reading Challenge

Do you love to read? You know I do! Escape with Dollycas Into a Good Book is hosting a reading challenge for 2013.This challenge will run from January 1st, 2012 until December 31st, 2013.

You can join anytime. It’s an alphabet challenge!!! The challenge is to read one book starting with every letter of the alphabet.


So there are two different ways you can set up your own A-Z Reading Challenge.


A - Make a list on your blog from A-Z. Throughout the year, as you go along, add the books you are reading to the list. Towards the end of the year, you can check and see which letters you are missing and find books to fit.

OR


B - Make a list now of 26 books, picking one for each letter of the alphabet. For example: A – The Azalea Assault B- Blue Monday C – Crops and Robbers D – A Deadly Grind etc.


Books can be read in any order and all formats – print – e-book – audio – are acceptable for this challenge!

Ready to join??

Sign up at Escape with Dollycas Into a Good Book and grab the button.

Non-bloggers you can join too! Just keep track any way you wish and enter a link below if available or sign up in the comment section. You can even set up a special shelf on Goodreads to help you keep track!


Need some help finding titles to match the alphabet – Jandy’s Reading Room has a wonderful list to get you started.

Here is my list:

A AN ANGEL BY HER SIDE - RUTH REID - 4 stars
B
C CHRISTMAS WITH THE FIRST LADIES - COLLEEN CHRISTIAN BURKE
D THE DILEMMA OF CHARLOTTE FARROW- OLIVIA NEWPORT
E
F

G
H
I ICONIC SPIRITS: AN INTOXICATING HISTORY - MARK SPIVAK
J
K KILLER RATINGS - LISA SEIDMAN
L TO LOVE A WOLF - BK WALKER
M MY NAME IS MARY SUTTER - ROBIN OLIVEIRA
N NEVER LET YOU GO - ERIN HEALY
O O! JACKIE - MERCEDES KING
P PERIL: FROM JACKBOOTS TO JACK BENNY - PEARL GOODMAN - 4 STARS
Q QUEEN OF THE AIR: A TRUE STORY OF LOVE AND TRAGEDY AT THE CIRCUS - DEAN JENSEN
R RAISING CUBBY-JOHN ELDER ROBISON
S SECRETLY SMITTEN - COLLEEN COBLE, DENISE HUNTER, KRISTEN BILLERBECK, & DIANN HUNT
T THE POSTMISTRESS-SARAH BLAKE
U UNCONQUERED: THE SAGA OF COUSINS JERRY LEE LEWIS, JIMMY SWAGGART, AND MICKY GILLEY - J.D. DAVIS
V VANISHED-IRENE HANNON - 5 STARS
W
X
Y
Z

I will be updating my list and will keep it posted on here. Check back to see what I've read, and comment and let me know when you join the challenge. Here's to a year of good reading!

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Cats, like men are flatterers. - William S Landor