From My Vanity

Beauty, Skincare, and a bit of Lifestyle

Hangers that will make that special day even more memorable! (Review & Giveaway)

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Today I’m featuring another business on Etsy called Rosa’s Bridal Gifts. I thought, with my wedding only 12 days away, this would be the perfect time to talk about bridal accessories! 🙂

Rosa Duarte opened her shop on Etsy in 2012 and have done over 3,000 sales with an average 5 star review. Her goal for Rose’s Bridal Gifts is to “…fulfill your highest expectations! We are 100% committed to provide our customers with the best quality of products and services to make of your shopping with us a great experience!”

 

What does Rosa sell at her store? Elegant, personalized bridal hangers!

She sells a large variety of hangers ranging from different colors to different information on each hanger. If you only want your name on the hanger, it’s $25 and if you want to add the date above your name it’s only $5 extra. Pretty reasonable prices, in my opinion, especially for the quality you get with these hangers.

My Review…

Arrival/Packaging…
I was really pleased with how this showed up at my house. With it being a hanger, I knew the package would be bulky and there’s always that chance of something getting bent or broken during shipping if you don’t package it correctly. Rosa did an amazing, superb job at packaging it well. It was in a really sturdy box and the wire lettering was protected with cardboard (see picture above). No fears about the hanger breaking during shipment — that fact get’s two thumbs up from me. 🙂

Quality/Durability…
I wasn’t sure what kind of wire to expect on these hangers — I mean, I’ve seen everything from really flimsy to thick and durable. I was delighted to find out that the wired used to spell out the bride’s name was decently thick. The wire is suspended  between the hanger and everything about the wire and the wood hanger feels and looks really high quality. I love the detail that she incorporated into the hanger, like the heart over the “i” in Garvin.

 

Cathedral wedding Veil

Any Major Likes/Dislikes…
There was nothing negative about this hanger — the quality was great and the size of the words was really decent. Definitely something that can be seen and ready easily. I really like that it’s fancy cursive writing, but still totally eligible and easy to understand. A hanger with my soon-to-be new name on it is something that I’ve always thought as extremely special and unique.

Final Thoughts…
I highly, highly recommend Rosa’s Bridal Gifts hangers. If you are getting married anytime in the near future, this would be a lovely addition to have on your wedding morning — just imagine how beautiful your dress will look hanging from this hanger, and your new name displayed in the picture. Or if a friend of yours is getting married, this hanger would make the most perfect, meaningful, and special bridal shower gift for her. Rosa’s packaging and presentation got 2 big thumbs up from me, and so does the quality and appearance of the actual hanger. Definitely a lovely gift to give or a special accessory on your wedding day.

 

I received one or more of the products mentioned above from Rosa’s Bridal Gift’s Etsy store for review. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

The Giveaway…

Rosa has very kindly offered to give one of my followers the chance to win something from Rosa’s Bridal Gifts! The winner will receive a 20% off coupon code to use on any item in her Etsy shop. This is a great opportunity for any bride’s getting married in the near future — and for those who want to start getting things for that special day right now! 😉 Don’t forget to check out all of Rosa’s social media spots, too!

 

Rules: This giveaway is only open to GFC follower of Legacy of a Writer, so be sure you are a follower! There are many chances to earn extra entries, so come back every day to take advantage of them. 🙂 This giveaway will run for three weeks, ending at midnight on Monday, May 5th. 

—> ATTENTION: Please make sure you are following all the instructions in order to be entered into the giveaway. I do check it all, once the giveaway is over, and hate to disqualify winners. Thanks!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Enter to win a Kindle HDX from @TLHigley in THE QUEEN’S HANDMAID giveaway! (Litfuse)

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About the Author…

Tracy L. Higley started her first novel at age eight and has been hooked on writing ever since. She has authored nine novels, including Garden of Madness and So Shines the Night. Tracy is currently pursuing a graduate degree in Ancient History and has traveled through Greece, Turkey, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, and Italy, researching her novels and falling into adventures. See her travel journals and more on her website (below).

More about Tracy Higley…
Website  /  Facebook  /  Twitter

About the Book…

From the servant halls of Cleopatra’s Egyptian palace to the courts of Herod the Great, Lydia will serve two queens to see prophecy fulfilled. 

Alexandria, Egypt 39 BC



Orphaned at birth, Lydia was raised as a servant in Cleopatra’s palace, working hard to please while keeping everyone at arm’s length. She’s been rejected and left with a broken heart too many times in her short life.



But then her dying mentor entrusts her with secret writings of the prophet Daniel and charges her to deliver this vital information to those watching for the promised King of Israel. Lydia must leave the nearest thing she’s had to family and flee to Jerusalem. Once in the Holy City, she attaches herself to the newly appointed king, Herod the Great, as handmaid to Queen Mariamme.



Trapped among the scheming women of Herod’s political family—his sister, his wife, and their mothers—and forced to serve in the palace to protect her treasure, Lydia must deliver the scrolls before dark forces warring against the truth destroy all hope of the coming Messiah.
Where you can purchase The Queen’s Handmaiden…

My Review…

Photo Credit

I’ve read several books written by Tracy Higley, and each one of them I’ve thoroughly enjoyed. She has a talent for bringing her stories to life and I always come away from them appreciating the time and research that she puts into each of her books. I think  Tosca Lee describes her writing as “spell-bindingly written with luscious prose…”, and I’d have to agree!

I love many different time periods in history, and the years of Egyptian power and majesty are definitely one of them, so I jumped at the opportunity to review The Queen’s Handmaid
. From the very beginning, I was caught up in the palace intrigue and danger that surrounded and followed at the heals of where ever Lydia seemed to go. The secret Samuel entrusted to her with his dying breath really amped up the danger-level in this book! I was a bit mystified why Samuel didn’t tell Lydia about her parentage well before he died — as she was, at that time, old enough to handle herself — but I suppose there are many things many people do in our own lives that we never understand why, right?

Photo Credit

It is amazing how the royal people’s lives were not their own! In our day and age — I felt Tracy did a wonderful job of portraying how difficult this was for some people and how much it effected their lives and spirits. Everything was about power and getting ahead — so many feelings were crushed and lives ruined because of greedy people. It is amazing how power and wealth can completely twist a person’s thinking and how quickly they can become a monster in many people’s lives.

The plot of The Queen’s Handmaid
 was really intriguing. I enjoyed every moment I spent in the book — from the palace intrigue to the mystery and danger surrounding the scrolls. I know a lot of why I enjoyed this book was because I just love history — and Tracy puts a lot of history into this story, and I just ate it up! There are certain author’s that I always keep my eye out for when looking at new releases, and Tracy Higley is definitely one of them. If you like history sprinkled generously with intrigue, danger, romance, and suspense, this is one of the author’s you should definitely check out!

I reviewed this book for Thomas Nelson via Litfuse. It was not required that I give a positive review, but solely to express my own thoughts and opinions of this book, which I have done. 


Find out what readers are saying HERE. (Click the ‘REVIEWS bar.)

The Giveaway…

Tracy L. Higley is celebrating the release of The Queen’s Handmaid with a fun giveaway.


Retailers + Resources gave it this glowing review: “Rich in historic detail, Higley’s vivid writing brings to life the plots and intrigues that swirled through the ancient world as alliances were built and broken on the calculated schemes of power-mad monarchs.” 


queen'shandmaid-400-click-1

A Kindle Fire HDX
The Queen’s Handmaid by Tracy L. Higley

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on April 19th. Winner will be announced April 21st on Tracy’s blog.

Don’t miss a moment of the fun; enter today and be sure to stop by Tracy’s blog on April 21st to see if you won.

A Purifying Mud Mask that Treats Acne, Exzema, and Psoriasis! (First Impression Review)

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The count down is drawing ever closer to the 26th! It’s only 19 days away now, and things are starting to get a tad more crazy and busy for me. With that in mind, I am afraid I’m going to have to be more absent from the blog from now on. Just until after I return from my honeymoon. I will still continue to bring you the weekly Hairstyling with NuMe tutorials, but unless I have already schedule posts, I won’t be posting on Mondays and Wednesdays like I normally do. I hope you all understand my absence — I’ll miss interacting with you all! But I’ll be back in full swing, Lord willing, once I’m settled in my new home. 🙂

One more thing before we dive into today’s post. Sometimes companies send me products that they want me to then review right away. They’re looking for more of a ‘first impression and ease of use’ kind of review then a review after I’ve thoroughly tested it. So, to keep it fair to everyone, I’m going to start calling these reviews “First Impression Reviews” so that you know I’m only bringing my thoughts after trying it out a few times. If you ever want a more in-depth review after I’ve used something for a few weeks or months, all you need to do is let me know in the comments and I’ll be sure to do an updated review for you. 🙂

Okay, on to the first impression review for today!

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.

About Adovia Dead Sea Mud Mask…

This Dead Sea Mud Mask contains 30 Treatments which lasts for 3-4 Months. Each treatment provides the ingredients and results of a $120 facial at a high end dermatology spa! Made with Pure Dead Sea Mud with the highest concentration of minerals – vital for facial skin treatment glow. This mask is made in Israel – by the Dead Sea experts and contains the highest and freshest concentration of Dead Sea Mud. Reduce Oil and Blackheads and get more clear and radiant skin. Works great for Eczema and Psoriasis as well due to Dead Sea salt and mud known properties that help relieve Eczema, Psoriasis and acne symptoms.

 

 

Apply a layer to clean, dry skin once per week or as needed, as a facial mask for the whole face or as spot treatment for blackheads or pimples.

My First Impression Review…

Packaging…
The mud mask is packaged really professional looking and the design on the tube is simple, yet attractive. Initially I was under the impression that this Adovia Purifying Mud Mask was rather expensive. But while it is $30 a bottle, you get a little over 5 fl oz of product in this tube. Which will last you quiet a while, as you don’t need much each application. And even less if you’re just spot treating a few areas.

Product & Ease of Use…
Because I already have a routine for my weekly face mask and I didn’t want to change it up so close to my wedding 🙂 I decided to try this mask out as a spot treatment. I’ve used this about three times so far, and really like the results I get. It’s a thick consistency, making it easy to apply over your face without making a mess.

I give it a good 20 minutes to dry, then wash it off. I get some cystic acne every now and then, and that’s where I used this mask. I noticed that it helped the redness go around and my pimple didn’t look as inflamed after I washed off the mask. And it resulted in the pimple going away faster than my cystic acne usually takes to run it’s course. 🙂 This, of course, is an awesome fact that really makes me like this product!

Any Likes & Dislikes…
Nothing really stands out to me as a dislike. The mud mask is a really dry, thick consistency, so it’s not as obvious when it’s ‘dry’ as some of the masks I’ve used in the past. There isn’t a big change of color. So I just tap it and see if any transfers onto my fingers. There’s no distinct smell to this mask — at least, none that I could detect. So that’s a great plus! I can’t stand to put stinky stuff anywhere near my nose. 😛 I really like the fact that this helps to draw out the impurities in my cystic acne, helping my skin to recover faster than it usually does. 🙂

Final Thoughts…
I really like the Adovia Purifying Mud Mask! I have very oily/acne-prone skin, so masks have always been a must in my skincare routine, and this is something I’m thrilled to add to my regimen! I’m really looking forward to seeing the long-term benefits of using this mask.

The company is great to work with. Really quick to ship, too, as I received my product in less than a week from when my order processed. I was impressed! This mask is recommended for people who suffer from acne, oily skin, blackheads, exzema, and psoriasis. So if you are issues with any of these, I’d encourage you to give this mask a try!

 

perruque

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

A Pink “Whiplash” Eyelash Curler with a Comic-Book Feel! (Product Review)

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April is here! 😀 Such an exciting month for me and I hope you all have something fun to look forward to as well!

I was given the opportunity to review a eyelash curler and was really intrigued — I’ve only ever used one eyelash curler (ELF’s lash curler) and it works well for me, so I was curious to try something new and see how they compare.

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial. 


About Crave Natural’s Whip Lash Pink Eyelash Curler...

Get Striking Lashes That Stay Curled Until The Wee Hours of the Night!

If you are trying to achieve dramatic, fully curled lashes that last all day long then don’t waste your money on fake lashes or glue. Whiplash Eyelash Curler will make your lashes look fuller and longer without all fuss and chemicals involved with falsies.

Some of the features you will adore when using Whiplash include:

100% Pinch Free — No more pinches, flinches and goosebumps from curling your lashes. Curling your eyelashes should never been painful.

Ergonomic Handle — Provides for full control and ease of use.

80% Increase in Curl — Lashes will make your eyes pop and stand out.

Closure Latch — Perfect for travelling and storage in your favorite makeup bag.
Advanced Top Bar Design — Fit all eye shapes and sizes, so no lashes get left behind.
Money Back Guarantee — We are so certain you will love your Whiplash, we offer a Money Back Guarantee If Not Satisfied.
My Review…

First Impressions…
I don’t curly my lashes very frequently, but when I was given the opportunity to review this eye lash curler I decided to brave up and try something new. I’m always a little terrified that the curler is going to cut off my lashes, so I’m pretty picky and thorough when I look into a new eyelash curler. I gave this eyelash curler by Crave Naturals a good inspection and while it doesn’t look ‘high quality’, it does looks promising.

Packaging…
I really liked how the box was designed! As you can see from the pictures in this post, it had a ‘comic book’ theme to it and seemed like a very well made and sturdy box. Inside the curler was supported very securely and had a little booklet and a packet of extra eyelash curler pads. Which I thought was wonderful — they give you enough replacement pads to last you a good long while!

The quality of the curler was fair. It wasn’t outstanding, in my opinion — the pink handles were plastic and the connecting strip the holds the curler closed was made of very thin, almost bendable wire. Just looking at it reminded me of the way the ELF eyelash curler is made. And when I handled it and actually used it, they did seem very similar. So, something to consider.

Product & Ease of Use…
Using the Whiplash Eyelash Curler
was typical of any other eyelash curler I’ve ever seen — you get your lashes between the pad and as close to your lid as possible, then give it a good squeeze for a few seconds. It worked well and curled my lashes just fine. Once mascara was on, I never noticed the curl falling throughout the day. But then again, I don’t have hard-to-curl lashes. So for me, this worked well and did the job just fine!

Major Likes & Dislikes…
Hmm, there isn’t really anything about this product that really stood out to me as a ‘major like’. It was good, did the job well, but I didn’t notice a huge difference between this eyelash curler and my ELF one. And the price difference between the two is pretty significant — ELF’s is a $1 and Crave Natural’s Whiplash
is $14.88, on sale. So, pretty expensive, in my opinion! And, if you’re looking at the quality between the two lash curlers, I’d say they’re both the same.

Final Thoughts…
The Crave Natural’s Whiplash Eyelash Curler
get’s the job done. The design and materials used to make this product isn’t anything outstanding or heavy duty. With the high price tag attached to this curler, I don’t think I would repurchase this product. If you like the look of the box — and the fact that this curler is pink — than maybe this would be worth the price. So it really depends on what your preference is. 🙂

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Question for My Readers: What’s your favorite curler to use to curl your eyelashes?

Disturbing News on the New Movie, Noah, that stars Russell Crowe

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I know I don’t usually post on Tuesdays, but this is something important that couldn’t wait until I have an open date to post about.

You might have seen my post back in November where I announced the upcoming release of the movie Noah starring Russell Crowe. There wasn’t much information out on the movie, besides the trailer, and it looked really good.

But recently, information has come to light that is rather disturbing and has removed all my desire to go watch this new release. I wanted to share it with you all, to make sure you are aware of all the facts before you decide if you’re going to go watch it or not.

I first read Ken Ham’s post, Don’t Be Taken in by the Noah Movie’s Promotions, a few months ago. The points he brought up were pretty dissapointing, as I was hoping for a really good biblical account of Noah (my fault for even thinking Hollywood would go for “accurate”, I know). I encourage you to go read his article for yourself, but I’m just going to share one section here with you all.

Here are a few more problem areas seen in the rough cut of the film, most of which I expect to be in the final film:

1. In the film, Noah was robbed of his birthright by Tubal-Cain. The serpent’s body (i.e., Satan), which was shed in Eden, was their “birthright reminder.” It also doubled with magical power that they would wrap around their arm. So weird!
2. Noah’s family only consists of his wife, three sons, and one daughter-in-law, contrary to the Bible.
3. It appears as if every species was crammed in the Ark instead of just the kinds of animals, thus mocking the Ark account the same way secularists do today.
4. “Rocks” (that seem to be fallen angels) build the Ark with Noah!
5. Methuselah (Noah’s grandfather) is a type of witch-doctor, whose mental health is questionable.
6. Tubal-Cain defeats the Rocks who were protecting the finished Ark.
7. A wounded Tubal-Cain axes his way inside the Ark in only about ten minutes and then hides inside. Tubal-Cain then convinces the middle son to lure Noah to the bottom of the Ark in order to murder him (because he was not allowed a wife in the Ark). Tubal-Cain stays alive by eating hibernating lizards. The middle son of Noah has a change of heart and helps kill Tubal-Cain instead.
8. Noah becomes almost crazy as he believes the only purpose to his family’s existence was to help build the Ark for the “innocent” animals (this is a worship of creation).
9. Noah repeatedly tells his family that they were the last generation and were never to procreate. So when his daughter-in-law becomes pregnant, he vows to murder his own grandchild. But he finally has a change of heart.
10. Noah does not have a relationship with God but rather with circumstances and has deadly visions of the Flood.
11. The Ark lands on a cliff next to a beach.
12. After the Flood Noah becomes so distant from his family that he lives in a cave, getting drunk by the beach.

As Ken Ham says in his post (written in November), I don’t know if these are all in the final cut of the film, but then last week I read Eric Hovind’s take on this movie in his post “Why I Won’t Go See Noah on March 23rd” and was convinced that this movie would not only not be honoring the story of Noah, but was an attack on God and the Bible. Go read the post for yourself — it isn’t lengthy — but I’m just going to quote one part of his article here for you.

Facts To Consider:

1. Darren Aronofsky, the director of the film, is a “card
carrying atheist” and open about it.
2. At the opening of the Noah Movie in Mexico, Darren
Aronofsky said: ”It’s a very, very different movie. Anything you’re
expecting, you’re f—ing wrong.”
3. Aronofsky also said: “I’m Godless. And so I’ve had
to make my God, and my God is narrative filmmaking, which is — ultimately what
my God becomes.”
4. Aronofsky is not interested in the Biblical record,
fossil record, or hundreds of cultural records that testify to the Flood being
a true event. He summed up his view of the Biblical account like this: “I don’t
think it’s a very religious story, I think it’s a great fable that’s part of so
many different religions and spiritual practices. I just think it’s a great
story that’s never been on film.”
5. Paramount Pictures is the funder for this movie. They
also produced the Wolf of Wall Street which used the F word more than 500 times
at an average of one every 21 seconds and blasphemed the name of God almost two
dozen times.
6. Reason #1 in the article, “5 Reasons Why Atheists Should
Look Forward To Noah” is “Darren Aronofsky is God.” The article concludes, “So
get out there, enjoy the film and lap it up like the deity that you’ve always
wanted to be!”
7. Critics are not so thrilled about the project saying,
“Some have been bowled over by his epic take on the story of the ark, while
most others find his movie messy and ill-conceived, with the result not quite
coming together.”

While these seven reasons don’t begin to cover the
totally un-Biblical approach
taken on this Historical Account, they are enough for me to say, “No, Thank
You!” Hollywood only hears $$$$$$$, so if you don’t give it to them, they WILL
listen!

So, with all that said, I will NOT be going to see this movie, and I encourage you not to watch it, either. If you do want information on Noah, go visit NoahtheMovie.com where you can watch Ray Comfort’s Biblical view of the flood. 
I hope this post has given you much to think about. With everything that’s unfolded, I will be taking down my previous post about Hollywood’s Noah that I did back in November. And, if you profess to be a Christian, I hope you don’t go see the new Noah movie from Hollywood. As Eric Hovind said, if you hurt their pocketbook, they will listen. 

Glade’s Wax Melt’s are sure to improve the smell of any room! (Review)

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Greetings to all the new followers on my blog! In the past month there have been a lot of new subscribers on my blog, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram. 🙂 It’s because of readers like you that I continue to write on my blog and bring you reviews…like this one today! 🙂

About Glade Wax Melts…

Glade® Wax Melts blend high-quality essential oils to fill even the largest rooms with scents that linger on — adding ambiance to any occasion, from quiet weeknights with the family to huge holiday gatherings:

Available in 10 great fragrances, with new limited edition fragrances sold each season

Made from pressed (not poured) wax, which is dry to the touch and prevents greasy hands — plus, the cubes are individually packaged, making it easier and less messy to begin your fragrance experience

Each wax melt provides 12 hours of consistent fragrance that lingers even after the warming dish has been turned off, delivering 96 hours of scented bliss per pack

Use only with a warmer labeled for wax melts, like the stylish Glade® Wax Melts Warmer that retails for $10.99

Glade® Wax Melts Refill Packs include 8 cubes and retail for a suggested price of $3.49

My Review…

First Impression…
I’m not unfamiliar with wax melts — my family has one candle warmer, and really enjoyed it. So when I saw that Glade was coming out with their own wax melts, I was really thrilled — I’m a big fan of Glade candles! So I picked one of my favorite scents, Hawaiian Breeze, to put to the test. You already heard be rave about how much I like the Hawaiian Breeze and Vanilla Passion mix in my previous review, so I won’t repeat myself (but go see that review if you haven’t. 🙂

Packaging/Quality…
The packaging for the Glade Wax Melts
is pretty standard for wax melts — at least, all the ones I’ve seen. Each one comes with 8 cubes that are divided into their own separate sections. I always like the way Glade packages their products, and these are no exception. The scent is Hawaiian Breeze so everything about the packaging and label has to do with pineapples and the orange-color of the wax cubes.

Performance…
These melts are very potent! I put one cube in a warmer and lit it in my room…and before long I had to open my door because the scent got so strong! Definitely better if you are in a large, open area for these melts! I don’t see this as a negative, though, as I really like when scents are strong — I just take care to light them in an open area — I can’t stand when I light a candle and can barely detect a scent from it after several minutes. You won’t find that problem with Glade Wax Melts in Hawaiian Breeze!

Major Likes…

The scent! I love the smell of Hawaiian Breeze! But I know this ‘like’ will be different for each person. So, I’d have to say that my biggest like about Glade’s new wax melts are the size of the cubes. They’re really decent sizes and promise you hours and hours of usage before it’s used up!

Major Dislikes…
Hmm…I guess the strong smell might bother some people. For me, personally, it doesn’t, but we each are different. So be aware that these scents are very strong. 🙂

Final Thoughts…
I loved these Glade Wax Melts! And the price is really reasonable — usually selling for around $3 or $4 dollars. I’m not aware of the price of other wax melts, but this seems like an average price that is well worth the amount you get with each one. If you’ve never tried using wax warmers and wax melts in your home, I highly encourage you to start with these!

I received this product from BzzAgent for free in order to review. It was not required that I give a positive review, but solely to express my own thoughts and opinions of this product, which I have done. I only recommend products and/or services that I have personally used or experienced and like.


Question for my Readers: Have you tried any products by Glade? Which is your favorite?

Mesu Andrews Recount’s One Queen’s Reign of Terror in “In the Shadow of Jezebel” (Book Review)

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Yesterday I tweeted to you all about the exciting news, but I just had to share it here, too! 😀

Yep, it happened — Monday night I hit (and passed!) 900 followers on here and 700 likes on my Facebook page! Thank you to each and every one who follows me on any or all of my social media pages. I know I haven’t been constant on all of them in the past, but my New Year’s resolution was to get more engaged with you all on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest! 🙂

So let’s get into today’s review now! 🙂

About the Author…

Mesu Andrews is the award-winning author of Love Amid the Ashes, Love’s Sacred Song, and Love in a Broken Vessel. Winner of the 2012 ECPA Christian Book Award for New Author, she has devoted herself to passionate and intense study of Scripture, bringing the biblical world vividly alive for her readers. She lives in Washington. 

More about Mesu Andrews and her books…

Website  /  Facebook  /  Twitter

About the Book…

In a kingdom controlled by cruel and manipulative women, one princess will discover the power of truth and love. 

Trained as a priestess in the temple of Baal, Princess Jehosheba strives to please the demanding Queen Athaliah, daughter of Jezebel. But when a mysterious letter from the dead prophet Elijah predicts doom for the royal household, Jehosheba realizes that the dark arts she practices reach far beyond the realm of earthly governments.

Forced to marry Yahweh’s high priest in order to further Athaliah and Jezebel’s power plays, Jehosheba enters the unfamiliar world of Yahweh’s Temple. Can her new husband show her the truth and love she craves? And can Jehosheba overcome her fear and save the family–and the nation–she loves?

With deft skill, Mesu Andrews brings the Old Testament to life, revealing a fascinating story of the power of unconditional love.

Where You can Purchase In the Shadow of Jezebel…

Amazon
 /  Revell  /  Author

My Review…

I’ve read all but one of the books Mesu Andrew’s has published so far and with each one I’ve closed the book feeling so impressed with her work. She has such a beautiful way of presenting a character’s story and I love how they always point towards and end with showing the power and mercy of Yahweh. And In the Shadow of Jezebel
is no different!

It didn’t take me long to get wrapped up in the dangers and intrigue of Jehosheba’s world — or better known as ‘Sheba’. I can’t imagine growing up the way she did — the only ‘motherly influence’ she ever knew was someone who used her cruelty and power as a tool to control her. Mesu did a wonderful job of showing how deeply Athaliah had affected and controlled Sheba — and the long, painful journey Yahweh and Jehoiada walked through with her to undo the evil vines and thorns that were growing on her spirit and threatening to choke out her life.

Sheba was a very complex, deep character. Because of her past, she had so many facets to her, you discovered them along with Jehoiada after the two are wed. I thought it was neat that Jehoiada wasn’t the ‘perfect suitor’ — he was much older than Sheba, was a long-time bachelor with many old habits, and had a couple of shortcomings he had to deal with. It made these two characters very life-like and three dimensional. They didn’t have a perfect marriage — in fact, it was pretty rocky for a while. But as the reader, you got to watch them grow, learn how to live with an imperfect person, and mature in their marriage. I thought it was beautiful.

One thing I really appreciate about Mesu and her writing is that her books to not focus so much on the physical intimacy side of a relationship, as many Christian writers do today. There were several times in the book where the story could have progressed and given you a glimpse “into the bedroom”, so to speak, but Mesu kept it very appropriate and didn’t delve into any of that. Not that there wasn’t any tenderness between Jehoiada and Sheba in the story — oh no, there was lots of that! But it was shown and reflected in words and acts of love towards each other, not in marital intimacy. And I really appreciated that, making this a book I would recommend for girls of all ages!

If you haven’t read any of Mesu Andrew’s books, I highly encourage you to give them a try. Especially if you like Biblical fiction. I highly recommend In the Shadow of Jezebel
! It won’t take you many pages until you are caught up in the palace intrigue and the stress and terror that soon becomes a part of Sheba’s life….until she marries a humble priest named Jehoiada and learns of the great Yahweh. 🙂

I reviewed this book for Revell. It was not required that I give a positive review, but solely to express my own thoughts and opinions of this book, which I have done.