Woman Of Light by Teresa Pollard

Synopsis: Christian fiction inspired by the Bible, Judges chapters four and five.

On his deathbed, Deborah’s grandfather prophesied she would be a Judge for Israel. But the elders of Ramah vowed a woman would never sit in the city gates to listen to cases. So Deborah and her husband, Barak, returned to his hometown of Kedesh, in the northern part of the Israel, where trouble brewed nearby: King Jabin II had appointed Sisera to be commander of his army… and his nine hundred iron chariots.

Meanwhile, God brings disputes to Deborah for her to adjudicate, and soon she is holding court under the palm trees outside of Kedesh. Then God tells Deborah to hurry back to Ramah, and the family escapes just before Commander Sisera invades Israel and ransacks Kedesh.

But Israel has no standing army to respond, and not a shield or a spear was seen among forty thousand men. How will God use two such improbable people, a peasant woman and her husband, to lead Israel to victory against this formidable foe?

Review: A wonderful Biblically based story. It fills in some of the missing pieces of the story of Deborah from Judges. The author brings all the major players in the story to life in a way that draws the reader into the story and makes you feel you are right there among them.

Deborah's faith in the Lord and willingness to follow His leading is evident throughout the story. It is a good lesson for all of us to follow. 

This is a marvelous read. It was a real page-turner, and I hated any time I had to put it down to do other things.

**I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.**

Rating: Four stars

About the author

Teresa Pollard is from Richmond, Virginia, and was saved at a young age. She has a Masters degree in English and Creative Writing from Hollins College and has served as a Sunday School teacher and children's worker for most of the last forty years. Married for forty years, she was devastated by divorce and the death of her youngest daughter, but God has blessed her with a new home and another grandson, and she now resides in Dacula, Georgia. Her website is TeresaPollardWrites.com

Not Ashamed (Windspree #2) by Teresa Pollard

Synopsis: Windspree series, book two. Book one of the series is Not Guilty.

Cozy Mystery Christian Fiction

Charity grew up as a missionary kid in Africa and is now a college freshman in America. Although she always knew her dad was not her biological father, she was recently devastated by the truth that she was conceived in rape. Consumed with shame, she doesn't believe that her biological father has adequately paid for his crime and when she discovers a skeleton on the exact spot where her mother was attacked, she is convinced that her biological father is to blame. She launches an investigation with her uncle, the Chief of Police, who is equally convinced her father is not guilty. But can they catch the killer before another victim is found?

Review: This is the second book in a series, but it is easily read as a stand-alone story. I would suggest reading Not Guilty first, however, to have more insight into the characters and their motivations. 

This book deals with abortion, murder, rape, and violence, but not in an overly graphic way. Being a Christian book, it also shows characters turning to God for guidance and strength.  I enjoyed seeing Charity mature and grow throughout the story, as she tries to sort out her feelings about her biological father.

The story is well-written, with realistic dialog. The characters are true to life, with one of them seeming very likable in the beginning, but turns out to have a hidden side, putting another character in danger. The way that situation plays out is tense, to say the least.

**I was given a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.**

Rating: Five stars