April Reading Re-Cap & Expected May Reads

My April 2020 Reads: 

I realize I'm posting this a bit early, but I know I won't finish any more books before the end of the month so I thought I'd go ahead and share.

April brought lots of challenges into our household and I found myself gravitating toward lighter reading. Usually I'm all about deep character development and moving stories. But this month, the lighter, less probing books met my reading tastes.

In April, I finished:

1. Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen, annotated by Karen Swallow Prior. - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Read my review.


2. Daughter of Rome by Tessa Afshar - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Read my review.


3. Stay with Me by Becky Wade - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Read my review.


4. Emberhawk by Jamie Foley - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Read my review.


5. The House at the End of the Moor by Michelle Griep - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Read my review.


6. The Chisholm Trail Bride by Kathleen Y'Barbo - ⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Read my review.


7. Fierce, Free and Full of Fire: The Guide to Being Glorious You by Jen Hatmaker. - ⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Review coming 5/12/20.


8. The Prophet and the Dove by Kirby Lee Davis - ⭐⭐ - Review to come.

With so many five star reads, there's no way I can pick a favorite. 🤷 It was a great reading month! 🙂

---

Expected May 2020 Reads:

In May, I hope to read:

1. An Uncommon Woman by Laura Frantz. - I've been looking forward to reading this book for months!!! It's my local book club's selection for May and we'll be chatting with the author! Can't wait! 🙂


2. Storing Up Trouble by Jen Turano. - This author is not new to the Christian fiction scene, but she is new-to-me.


3. Ruby Moon by Jennifer Knipfer. - Both this book and it's sequel have been sitting on my shelf for months! Sometimes I get soooo behind! 🙈


4. The Lost Lieutenant by Erica Vetsch. - A new to me author. I've already heard lots of good buzz about this novel.


5. A Mosaic of Wings by Kimberly Duffy. - Looking forward to this one!


6. The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall. - A group read I'm doing with some friends.

What will you read this month?

Book Review: Daughter of Rome by Tessa Afshar

About the Book:

A woman with a devastating secret. A man bent on proving his worth. A chance encounter that catapults them into the heart of history.


When the daughter of a prominent Roman general meets a disinherited Jewish immigrant, neither one can dream of God’s plan to transform them into the most influential couple of the early church. Nor can they anticipate the mountains that will threaten to bury them. Their courtship unwittingly shadowed by murder and betrayal, Priscilla and Aquila slowly work to build a community of believers, while their lives grow increasingly complicated thanks to a shaggy dog, a mysterious runaway, and a ruthless foe desperate for love. But when they’re banished from their home by a capricious emperor, they must join forces with an unusual rabbi named Paul and fight to turn treachery into redemption.

With impeccable research and vivid detail, Daughter of Rome is both an emotive love story and an immersive journey through first-century Rome and Corinth, reminding readers once again why Debbie Macomber has said that “no one brings the Bible to life like Tessa Afshar.”

Read an excerpt from Daughter of Rome by Tessa Afshar on the publisher's website.

---

My Thoughts:

My local book club chose to read Daughter of Rome by Tessa Afshar. As expected, the novel was well-written. I found the characters both likeable and relatable, especially Priscilla. Though the story was fully developed as it is, I think I would have been happy to read another 200 pages of these wonderfully interesting characters and their beautiful character growth.

I loved how Tessa Afshar used Daughter of Rome’s characters and their situations to breathe new life into spiritual truths. In a gentle and refreshing manner, she addressed topics such as forgiveness, trusting God, and more. One of my favorites quotes occurred on page 315: “The spiritual treasures that belong to you are vast, Son. The ability to speak to Yeshua. To hear from him. To help others through your prayers. To love rightly. … An endless trove of worthy treasures has been set aside for you.” I marked many passages and our book club had abundant topics to discuss.

Daughter of Rome by Tessa Afshar is a stand alone novel though two characters from Thief of Corinth do appear in minor roles. I recommend Daughter of Rome to any one who enjoys Biblical fiction. My husband read this book and enjoyed it, so its appeal is not limited to women.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.