What do you think?
Rate this book
Mysteries & Wonders of the Bible Series #2
A Life Renewed Shoshan's Story
A Life Shoshan’s Story
is book two in the Mysteries & Wonders of the Bible fiction series.
When Shoshan’s peaceful, dreamless sleep is shattered by a familiar Voice whispering her name, she struggles to remember not only where she is but who she is. Why is she lying in the dark, wrapped in cloth that smells of sweet herbs and fragrant oils, as if she had…died? Where are her husband and her precious baby?
Shoshan makes her way from the tombs to the holy city of Jerusalem and learns that Jesus, her teacher, has been crucified. Devastated, she recalls her own death. Yet somehow, she has been restored to life through Jesus’s sacrifice.
When those who were resurrected are hunted by Roman guards, Shoshan hurries to her brother’s home for safety. She finds her brother and his pregnant wife desperately ill. Shoshan knows she has been raised for a reason—but is it only to care for her kin, or does God have a greater purpose for returning her to life?
When Shoshan’s peaceful, dreamless sleep is shattered by a familiar Voice whispering her name, she struggles to remember not only where she is but who she is. Why is she lying in the dark, wrapped in cloth that smells of sweet herbs and fragrant oils, as if she had…died? Where are her husband and her precious baby?
Shoshan makes her way from the tombs to the holy city of Jerusalem and learns that Jesus, her teacher, has been crucified. Devastated, she recalls her own death. Yet somehow, she has been restored to life through Jesus’s sacrifice.
When those who were resurrected are hunted by Roman guards, Shoshan hurries to her brother’s home for safety. She finds her brother and his pregnant wife desperately ill. Shoshan knows she has been raised for a reason—but is it only to care for her kin, or does God have a greater purpose for returning her to life?
Kindle Edition
Published December 18, 2024
65 people are currently reading
22 people want to read
About the author
Ginger Garrett
37 books187 followersGinger Garrett is the author of the middle grade titles Name Tags and Other Sixth Grade Disasters (Carolrhoda Press) and The Last Monster (Delacorte Press/Random House) as well as other titles for women.
A frequent media guest and television host, Ginger has been interviewed by Fox News, 104.7 The Fish Atlanta, and many other outlets. Ginger resides in Georgia with her husband, three children and her 27th rescue dog, Watson.
A frequent media guest and television host, Ginger has been interviewed by Fox News, 104.7 The Fish Atlanta, and many other outlets. Ginger resides in Georgia with her husband, three children and her 27th rescue dog, Watson.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
February 24, 2025
A Life Renewed is probably--no, easily--the most unique and compelling book I have read in any of Guideposts' Biblical fiction series so far. I don't say that lightly; most of the books in these series are compelling and excellent. Shoshan's story, though, distinguishes itself on almost every level.
First off, major kudos to Ginger Garrett for tackling a piece of Scripture that appears only once, in one Gospel, out of 66 books (or 73 if you're Catholic). Here's how unfamiliar that piece can be: I've read my Bible several times, and I didn't even remember it was in there. :) It is, however, and under the right author's pen, it can make an arresting, memorable story. Ginger took that assignment and not only understood it, but completed it with flying colors.
A Life Renewed is similar to many of these books in that its spiritual threads cannot be separated from its plot. But this particular configuration stuck out to me. More to the point, it struck me in the heart, in the best way. Shoshan's story is not an easy read and her journey challenges her to her core, just as it challenged me as a reader. On every page, I learned with Shoshan that a second chance, a second life, can be difficult, heartbreaking, even traumatic. Every page reminded me, these adjectives often describe the Christian life, too. If anything, I've heard countless testimonies of Christians whose lives took drastic turns after they chose to follow Jesus, if not specifically because of that choice.
Yet instead of discouraging or frightening me as similar stories have, I found this encouraging. That is, I'm one of those Christians who, when bad things happen, tends to think, "What did I do wrong? How did I displease Jesus?" Shoshan and her story, again, challenged this assumption. I also loved how, throughout A Life Renewed, Shoshan wrestled with the truth that she was resurrected while others were not and questioned what made her "worthy." I questioned and searched for answers along with her, and experienced the potent of joy, sorrow, and confusion with her. The answers, when they existed, did not sate my human understanding of "why" and "how," but per usual, they cemented my faith. So kudos to Ginger, again, for doing her job.
This brings me to the characters in A Life Renewed, because you can't have a great story without great characters. Some of them, notably Marcus and Tullia, lean two-dimensional, but I think they're allowed to do so. That is, this is in fact Shoshan's story and she carries it, but she does it right. She has a huge character and plot arc to deal with, as well as a bevy of complex questions and emotions. Ginger gives her the space to do it while showing her as a three-dimensional woman. Shoshan is what I grew up hearing called a "strong Christian," but she's still learning to understand her faith and accept its implications. She's compassionate, but still grapples with the human limits of that trait. She's mature and levelheaded, but the hurting, vulnerable little sister who misses her big brother still lives within her. All this makes her a deeply sympathetic, yet never pitiful protagonist. She is instead well worth rooting for and spending a whole book getting to know.
Outside Shoshan, Ginger added a few unexpected secondary characters and arcs that gave A Life Renewed some extra gravitas and urgency. The thread with Haraka, for instance, brought in some great early Roman history as well as a timely, evergreen spiritual thread concerning freedom and how to handle deep-seated trauma. (Brownie points from a thespian for the nod to Roman theater and the obvious and hidden talents therein)! :) The character of Clemens could've been "on the nose," and he is, a bit. That said, I enjoyed his interaction with Shoshan and applauded her courage in approaching him at a crucial moment. And last but definitely not least, I loved the brief but vital time Ginger spent on the other resurrected ones, because they fed into the spiritual thread of how and why Jesus did what He did, His purposes for everyone, and how everyone fit into the kingdom.
Speaking of Jesus, His role in this installment is fairly small in terms of page time. Yet He is present on every page. What I appreciated most, actually, was that He is not physically present, or easily "seen," when Shoshan calls out or needs Him most. I remember thinking, "Yes, finally, somebody got this right!" Moreover, I felt "seen" because somebody was finally daring, even through fiction, to speak to this truth. I think Christian fiction is doing better, but so much of it still reads as if believers are blessed or have their prayers answered the instant they call on Jesus, or as if believing solves all their problems.
In actuality, Jesus does hear and answer, but the timing aspect and the fact that we must continue living on Earth, makes the "process" a lot harder than it appears. So while Jesus is as wise, gentle, understanding, and amazing as you might expect here, He does ask hard things of His followers. That mix of love and challenge, that request for trust, that invitation to walk *through* the hard stuff with followers, was probably my favorite part of A Life Renewed.
The reason for four stars as opposed to five comes down to a writing style issue, and one that's common with Ginger Garrett's books. There is some telling over showing here, especially in terms of emotions. For example, Ginger will say Shoshan feared something happening and then, in the next sentence, will say she was "terrified" (placing the stronger adjective right next to a weak description, and not showing the emotion in real time). Ginger also tends to repeat information several times over, such as basic facts (e.g., Marcus disowned Shoshan, Shoshan did not understand X or Y choice or concept--the latter of which makes her sound unintelligent at times, which she is not). Finally, there is a crucial piece of Shoshan's past that doesn't get discussed into over two-thirds through. I understand why, because there's no real "good time" for anyone to bring it up. But I did eventually question the pacing as it pertained to this plot point.
With these moderate issues covered--and the writing style one does crop up a lot--A Life Renewed is still a strong book. In my opinion, it's one that readers who follow these series absolutely must read, even out of order, because Ginger does such a great job addressing the truth of hardship, but love and trust, in the Christian life. Beyond that, A Life Renewed is a fascinating ride that covers one of the Bible's most fascinating mysteries. So if you haven't gotten to this one yet, do snap it up.
First off, major kudos to Ginger Garrett for tackling a piece of Scripture that appears only once, in one Gospel, out of 66 books (or 73 if you're Catholic). Here's how unfamiliar that piece can be: I've read my Bible several times, and I didn't even remember it was in there. :) It is, however, and under the right author's pen, it can make an arresting, memorable story. Ginger took that assignment and not only understood it, but completed it with flying colors.
A Life Renewed is similar to many of these books in that its spiritual threads cannot be separated from its plot. But this particular configuration stuck out to me. More to the point, it struck me in the heart, in the best way. Shoshan's story is not an easy read and her journey challenges her to her core, just as it challenged me as a reader. On every page, I learned with Shoshan that a second chance, a second life, can be difficult, heartbreaking, even traumatic. Every page reminded me, these adjectives often describe the Christian life, too. If anything, I've heard countless testimonies of Christians whose lives took drastic turns after they chose to follow Jesus, if not specifically because of that choice.
Yet instead of discouraging or frightening me as similar stories have, I found this encouraging. That is, I'm one of those Christians who, when bad things happen, tends to think, "What did I do wrong? How did I displease Jesus?" Shoshan and her story, again, challenged this assumption. I also loved how, throughout A Life Renewed, Shoshan wrestled with the truth that she was resurrected while others were not and questioned what made her "worthy." I questioned and searched for answers along with her, and experienced the potent of joy, sorrow, and confusion with her. The answers, when they existed, did not sate my human understanding of "why" and "how," but per usual, they cemented my faith. So kudos to Ginger, again, for doing her job.
This brings me to the characters in A Life Renewed, because you can't have a great story without great characters. Some of them, notably Marcus and Tullia, lean two-dimensional, but I think they're allowed to do so. That is, this is in fact Shoshan's story and she carries it, but she does it right. She has a huge character and plot arc to deal with, as well as a bevy of complex questions and emotions. Ginger gives her the space to do it while showing her as a three-dimensional woman. Shoshan is what I grew up hearing called a "strong Christian," but she's still learning to understand her faith and accept its implications. She's compassionate, but still grapples with the human limits of that trait. She's mature and levelheaded, but the hurting, vulnerable little sister who misses her big brother still lives within her. All this makes her a deeply sympathetic, yet never pitiful protagonist. She is instead well worth rooting for and spending a whole book getting to know.
Outside Shoshan, Ginger added a few unexpected secondary characters and arcs that gave A Life Renewed some extra gravitas and urgency. The thread with Haraka, for instance, brought in some great early Roman history as well as a timely, evergreen spiritual thread concerning freedom and how to handle deep-seated trauma. (Brownie points from a thespian for the nod to Roman theater and the obvious and hidden talents therein)! :) The character of Clemens could've been "on the nose," and he is, a bit. That said, I enjoyed his interaction with Shoshan and applauded her courage in approaching him at a crucial moment. And last but definitely not least, I loved the brief but vital time Ginger spent on the other resurrected ones, because they fed into the spiritual thread of how and why Jesus did what He did, His purposes for everyone, and how everyone fit into the kingdom.
Speaking of Jesus, His role in this installment is fairly small in terms of page time. Yet He is present on every page. What I appreciated most, actually, was that He is not physically present, or easily "seen," when Shoshan calls out or needs Him most. I remember thinking, "Yes, finally, somebody got this right!" Moreover, I felt "seen" because somebody was finally daring, even through fiction, to speak to this truth. I think Christian fiction is doing better, but so much of it still reads as if believers are blessed or have their prayers answered the instant they call on Jesus, or as if believing solves all their problems.
In actuality, Jesus does hear and answer, but the timing aspect and the fact that we must continue living on Earth, makes the "process" a lot harder than it appears. So while Jesus is as wise, gentle, understanding, and amazing as you might expect here, He does ask hard things of His followers. That mix of love and challenge, that request for trust, that invitation to walk *through* the hard stuff with followers, was probably my favorite part of A Life Renewed.
The reason for four stars as opposed to five comes down to a writing style issue, and one that's common with Ginger Garrett's books. There is some telling over showing here, especially in terms of emotions. For example, Ginger will say Shoshan feared something happening and then, in the next sentence, will say she was "terrified" (placing the stronger adjective right next to a weak description, and not showing the emotion in real time). Ginger also tends to repeat information several times over, such as basic facts (e.g., Marcus disowned Shoshan, Shoshan did not understand X or Y choice or concept--the latter of which makes her sound unintelligent at times, which she is not). Finally, there is a crucial piece of Shoshan's past that doesn't get discussed into over two-thirds through. I understand why, because there's no real "good time" for anyone to bring it up. But I did eventually question the pacing as it pertained to this plot point.
With these moderate issues covered--and the writing style one does crop up a lot--A Life Renewed is still a strong book. In my opinion, it's one that readers who follow these series absolutely must read, even out of order, because Ginger does such a great job addressing the truth of hardship, but love and trust, in the Christian life. Beyond that, A Life Renewed is a fascinating ride that covers one of the Bible's most fascinating mysteries. So if you haven't gotten to this one yet, do snap it up.
July 30, 2025
Shoshan wakes up in burial cloths and she leaves her tomb to go home. She discovers there are others who were dead and now living again. And the Romans are looking for them. What Shoshan finds in this Mysteries and Wonders of the Bible is betrayal and murder. But she also finds her true self. She follow the teacher, Jesus and learns He was crucified. A Life Renewed Shoshan's story is a work of fiction. The Bible does not tell us what happened to the people who emerged from their tombs. Ginger Garrett gives us a story that could have happened, a story of faith.
August 23, 2025
Amazing
Different author but the writing was absolutely amazing. I loved this storyline. I never thought of the resurrected bodies to actually remain alive on earth after Jesus ascended. I always assumed and believed they were raptured up to heaven after visiting relatives in Jerusalem. This is a pretty wild perspective and plot twist for me. I thoroughly enjoyed following the characters and how their lives played out in this fiction.
You will enjoy finding out as well. It's pretty intense.
Different author but the writing was absolutely amazing. I loved this storyline. I never thought of the resurrected bodies to actually remain alive on earth after Jesus ascended. I always assumed and believed they were raptured up to heaven after visiting relatives in Jerusalem. This is a pretty wild perspective and plot twist for me. I thoroughly enjoyed following the characters and how their lives played out in this fiction.
You will enjoy finding out as well. It's pretty intense.
February 13, 2025
Wasn't sure at 5the beginning, but it ended up being a great story, complete with intrique and miracles.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews