Slender Reeds: Jochebed's Hope

by Texie Susan Gregory

Four hundred years in slavery, the Hebrew people await deliverance. . . .
And while it is still dark, God is at work.
 
Jochebed’s entire life has been a faith journey as she seeks her mother’s God. The daughter of a Hebrew slave and master basket weaver, Jochebed knows the stories of her ancestors but wonders if the Lord cares how they suffer under the hand of Pharaoh Ramses. . .and if the promised deliverance will ever really come.
              
Ramses , warned of Egypt’s destruction, vows to do whatever is necessary to protect his two great loves, Egypt and Nefertari, unaware that satisfying one will sacrifice the other.
Shiphrah , the half-Egyptian midwife tasked to kill Hebrew male infants, yearns for a place to belong and remembers childhood stories of a merciful God.
              
Doubts are a constant companion to Jochebed, but her foundation of faith leads her to defy the most powerful man in the world in a deadly race to save her son and, ultimately, God’s chosen people.  Two women, each following the dangerous path God has set before them—this is their story.

Genres: Biblical Fiction, Historical Fiction, Christian, Christian Fiction, Historical, Fiction

310 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2016

About the author

Born and bred in beautiful North Carolina, I grew up hearing the Bible stories and wishing I knew more about each person's life. What happened before? What happened next? Unable to find these stories, I began to write my own books and dream of writing professionally.

True story: As a 6th grader, I turned in a book report on my own book - written under a nom de plume!

I hold a BS in Early Childhood Education, an MA in School Counseling and an MA in Religious Education. I've worked in theatre, as a hospital chaplain intern and as a teacher in both public and private schools.
As a pastor's wife, I've served as a lay counselor, written/directed dramas for worship services and co-taught marriage seminars.
My most challenging and rewarding life work has been (is) mothering our two children.

Reviews

[Olivia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm very skeptical of Biblical fiction, even more so than Historical fiction, but when I saw this for review I decided I'd give it a try. The thing I did expect wasn't a problem, but there were other things that lowered my rating.

Jochebed and Shiphrah's lives are intertwined in an unusual way. They both are half Egyptian and half Hebrew and share many other common events from the past that appear toward the end. Jochebed was my favorite because her confusion concerning God's way was real and alive.

I was somewhat chagrined at the beginning. The story basically starts where Jochebed has entered Biblical womanhood. The details of the change in her body was a strange way to begin a book, and while I didn't mind reading it too much I still want to give a heads up to others.

Considering how the book began, the romance was really low key in this. The most romance was in the Pharaoh's POV, but even then it wasn't an issue. After Jochebed marry's there is barely any hint of romance with she and her husband. That didn't bother me, but what did was the fact of how little they are together in the book and how little he seems to be involved. It seems like there was a point that their marriage wasn't good, and then later it isn't referred to again. I liked her husband, the little I did see of him, so that disappointed me.

What I didn't like the most was how some of the scenes flowed. Most of the book was okay, but every so often there was some disjointed parts that confused me. It was neat seeing the Pharaoh's thinking of different things, but most of his scenes were the same thing repeated over and over again.

My favorite part of this book was the last 1/4 when Moses is put in the weeds. I pictured things slightly different with that-especially concerning the absence of Amram-but I loved how Jochebed had to realize that God sometimes asks us to do hard things.

If you like Biblical fiction, then I'd recommend this. Of course a lot of it is debatable :)

*I received this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

[Andrea Cox · Rating 2 out of 5]

by Andrea Renee Cox

Slender Reeds: Jochebed's Hope provided an interesting glimpse at what Moses's mother's life might have been like. The pain and sorrow and joy and faith of the life of a slave came through really well, and I enjoyed the core of this story.

Some of the other parts of the story disappointed me, though. A particular part of the plot (friendship) seemed to work itself in circles, always coming back to the same issue rather than building upon different aspects of it along the way. There was heavy emphasis on foreign gods, the details of which I didn't need to know in order to appreciate the story. It almost felt like a history book in certain chapters, because of the explanations about what different Egyptian gods are for and how they are worshiped. This really surprised me since this book was, I thought, supposed to focus on faith in the one true God. There were also a few times when there was a jump forward in time but no header was given to say "three years later" or anything (until the epilogue), so certain spots were difficult to follow, and it took me several pages to figure out what was going on and how old various characters now were.

I really wanted to enjoy this book more than I did, but I'm hoping it was just me and that this book will find a better audience with other readers. Biblical fiction is not my favorite genre, but I always give these books an open-minded approach when reading them. It's interesting to learn what it might have been like to live in biblical times, and I appreciate the time and effort the authors put in to creating that glimpse into the past.

I received an electronic copy of this book from Netgalley. This is my honest review.

[Diamond Jones-Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've always enjoyed Biblical stories but this one has become a favorite. Reading this book it really touched me and I couldn't stop reading. The Characters lives were so real. You felt their heartache and issues every step of the way. I recommend this book to everyone. This is a quick read that will keep you entertained through each page.

[Jeanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

She picked up the basket she had been weaving and began to work. Mama's hands were never still. "Only the weaver knows what the basket will become. It is after it's finished that others see the beauty and purpose. When you began to weave your first basket, you told me the spokes were ugly-that you didn't want them to be in your basket, remember? You were afraid the spokes would ruin it. Now you know that without the spokes, the basket cannot take shape. The part that at first seems the ugliest is really the strength. The reeds you choose and the work you do before it looks like a basket determines how it will be used."

What kind of faith does it take for a mother to send her infant son down the Nile with danger lurking everywhere? The danger of croc's, snakes and the Egyptians themselves. Jochebed, the mother of Moses had that kind of faith. This historical account gives the reader context of what life was like for the Jewish families under bondage and the superstitions of the Pharaoh of Egypt.

It brings in a character Shiprah that is parallel to Jochebed. Shiprah is a wet nurse that is part Jewish and Egyptian. Her life is tied to Jochebed's family that brings a connection on how the Lord works good things for those that love Him. Each of these women suffer insecurities that help them deepen their faith in who God is and their purpose for His will.

There are lessons for us to learn from the faith of Jochebed and how those lessons connect us to the love of the father. Where we can learn to trust without knowing all the answers. When we question is God really at work in the darkness.

A Special Thank You to Barbour Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

[Rebekah Gyger · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

When I first picked this up, I expected it to be like most Biblical Fiction. That is, a main character's romantic story woven into a Biblical narrative. Slender Reeds is nothing like that.


In ways, this is good. It is far more realistic to the cultural setting and time period, where survival outweighs romance. The slavery of the Hebrews is also more realistic, with the characters' daily lives filled with pain and drudgery as they seek out a glimmer of God's hope. Hope is slender as a reed in this story, with arranged marriages, barrenness, and ever breaking friendships. This is not the story for someone looking for a light-hearted read.


On the other hand, Jochebed's lack of a romance leaves Pharaoh (you know, murderer of Hebrew children) with a far better love story. Amram is virtually ignored in this story of Moses' humble origins, which disappointed me as I would have loved to see how all of this affected him. Instead, friendship was the main relational conflict of the novel, one which unfortunately seemed to repeat the same pattern.


Gregory's depiction of Hebrew slavery is likely a very honest one. While the full extent of their suffering is not detailed in the Bible, it is none the less known that the people suffered greatly. However, there were things I think could have been written better and I wish Amram had played a larger role. I would keep that in mind when deciding whether or not to read this.


I have provided an honest review after I received an ecopy of this book through Netgalley.

[Regina · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW! WOW! WOW! Trixie Susan is a debut author to Biblical fiction, you'll want to keep an eye on this author!

Slender Reeds captured my heart from the first page to the very end. If you're the emotional type, you better have tissues handy!

Jochebeds story almost resembles my story in so many ways, especially to the point of where I lost my daughter, it is very painful! This entire story is woven so well that you'll be captured by the scene, you'll feel like you're there experiencing the hardships, the beatings, the heat, the danger. The wives and mother's languishing over losing their sons because of a cruel pharaoh. When I finished this story I didn't want it to end but all stories have to end.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Shiloh Run Press for my honest and unbiased opinion of this book.

[Audrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Moses's Mother

It is a different twist to read the story of Moses from his mother's perspective. It is also the story of Shiphrah, the midwife who was supposed to kill the Hebrew boys at birth but didn't. It's the story of Ramses who may have been responsible for the death of the infants. It is also the story of Merit-Amen who rescued Moses from the river. I really liked this book as it seemed to be well researched. It was an enjoyable read.

[Fiction Aficionado · Rating 3 out of 5]

As popular as the Exodus seems to be in Biblical fiction at the moment, this is the first time I have come across a novel featuring Moses' mother, Jochebed, as a main character. It’s fair to say I was keen to read this story and see where it took me. In the end, I had a mixed response: There were good points, but also aspects that were less satisfying.

First, let me say I enjoyed Texie Susan Gregory’s illustrative writing style. She used very active, descriptive verbs to give colour and motion to her writing, which was also quite poetic in its use of imagery and expression, regularly invoking my senses. There were occasions when it crept into ‘purple prose’ territory – or at least lavender prose – as well as a few instances where the imagery became repetitive; for example, there were two separate occasions when Jochebed likened her doubts to the gnats that she is continually swatting away. But these moments were not frequent, nor did they overwhelm.

On the other hand, I did think the author relied overmuch on the characters’ inner narrative to convey the story, some of which became repetitive and too static. There were also times in the story when it became apparent that we had skipped a certain amount of time, but I was unsure of how much or when it had happened.

The main source of my disappointment was that I didn’t think either the story or the characters realized their full potential. For a story entitled ‘Jochebed’s Hope’, I felt there was a surprising lack of hope throughout. The only character who exhibited a strong faith in God in the novel was Jochebed’s mother (and Puah, although she appears much less frequently). Even at the end of the novel, I felt as though the characters were hanging on to the hope Jochebed’s mother had (“While it is yet dark, God is at work”) rather than their own assurance that God was with them. I wanted to understand from the story how God comforted and strengthened them in this time, but I didn’t really get that.

Jochebed is only twelve or thirteen at the opening of the story, fatherless, and about to be betrothed to Amram, her father’s kinsman. She is particularly nervous about this transition in her life, and one of the biggest holes in this story for me was missing out on seeing the way in which these two grew into their marriage and love for one another. We’re told of how Amram mourns the death of his first wife and their son every year with the flooding of the Nile, and the way in which this affects Jochebed, but we’re also told that Jochebed appreciated the way in which her husband loved her. Yet we weren't shown any of this. In fact, we barely saw Amram at all.

Ms Gregory’s Shiphrah is a half Egyptian cripple who struggles with acceptance the whole story through. I was never convinced she found that acceptance, despite the last minute attempt to show otherwise. For the most part, the female characters in this novel (mostly contemporaries of Jochebed and Shiphrah) were petty, catty, whingy, and generally immature, and this didn't really change as time went on, despite some isolated instances that might have made it appear otherwise.

The inclusion of Ramses (the Pharaoh) as a third point of view character was a bit of a surprise, but it would have worked well if his point of view had included scenes that showed specific incidents that awakened his fear of the growing Hebrew population. Instead, we spent a lot of time meandering in his thoughts, a considerable number of which were occupied with Nefertari (his beloved Great Wife) and his building projects. We got many insights into Egyptian religious beliefs and practises, but not much that moved the story along.

I guess, for me, there just wasn’t a lot to take away from this story. I wasn't inspired by the characters, although I certainly sympathised with them at times, and I didn’t feel as though it deepened my understanding of God or how He was at work in this difficult time. I also felt some of the details in the Biblical narrative were overlooked - for example, in relation to Pharaoh’s command to kill the baby boys, we are told the midwives, “...feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do.” In the novel, this was true of Puah, but the deciding factor for Shiphrah was not her fear of the Lord, but the fact that she couldn’t bring herself to do it. She seemed to fear Pharaoh more than the Lord.

This was not a bad read overall, but neither did it capture me the way I hoped it would. I understand Ms Gregory has other books in the works based on little known Biblical women, and I will be interested to see what comes next.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. This has not effect the content of my review.

[Beth | Faithfully Bookish · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book to be an easy read that captured my interest with its focus on motherhood, the bonds of friendship, and of course faith. Jochebed's transition from placing her hope in her mother's God to embracing God for herself is realistically filled with doubts and questions. Despite the foreign culture and ancient practices, modern-day readers will find this story relatable and see their own struggles reflected in the relationships of these characters from long ago.

I requested the opportunity to read and review this title through the publisher. The opinions expressed are my own.

[Deborha Mitchell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Faith and Hope

I've read the story of Moses many times. Slender Reeds really brings it to life. It's a story of trust and faith during a time of terrible heartbreak.
I applaud Texie Susan Gregory for her ability to put a face on the secondary characters of this Biblical story.
I look forward to reading more books by this author.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing in exchange for my honest review.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Slender Reeds is just an okay story of Biblical Fiction. I would give it 3 stars.

[Connie Saunders · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the first stories I learned as a small child was the story of Baby Moses being put in a basket and then placed in the river. I can still see the illustration in my Sunday School book of that little baby boy in the bulrushes by the river bank and the Princess who took him to be her son. I can still hear my teacher explaining that this baby's sister convinced the Princess to let their own mother take care of him. I thought how wonderful this coincidence was but we Christians know that this was no coincidence . We also know that Moses matured to be the man who saved the Hebrews from the Egyptians but this book helped me to better visualize the truly terrible conditions that God's people endured until this deliverance came to pass.

'Slender Reeds: Jochebed's Hope' is based on the true account recorded in Exodus 2 but it is biblical fiction and we readers must accept that this is Texie Susan Gregory's interpretation of what could have happened. Nevertheless, I have been totally captivated with this story of Jochebed, her mother Elisheba and the two other young women who figure so prominently in this fictitious account of her life. I loved the scenes that described how Elisheba shared her deep belief in God as she taught Jochebed, her cousin Lili and Shiphrah, an abused girl who was half-Egyptian, how to weave mats and baskets out of the reeds that grew along the Nile River. Even as conditions worsened and Pharoah continued to make their lives almost unbearable, Elisheba never wavered in her love for God and her tremendous faith that He would deliver her people.

As I read 'Slender Reeds' I felt Jochebed"s uncertainty when she married at a very young age and I could sympathize with her overwhelming desire to just lie down and sleep when she became the mother of a toddler and a baby. I could almost feel her numbing fatigue as she feverishly worked to make enough mats and baskets to escape the beatings that would occur if she didn't meet the quota set by the Egyptians and I imagined her despair when her husband was taken away to build the pyramids. When Jochebed became pregnant once again and realized that her baby would be killed if it was a boy, her sense of hopelessness was overwhelming but it is her agony when she actually leaves him in the river that I will never forget

'Slender Reeds' is not an easy story to read and some readers will not enjoy the description of Pharoah's brutality and they will not appreciate the many references to false gods but it prompted me to re-read Exodus and once again contemplate God's plan of deliverance for the Hebrew people. Yes, this is biblical fiction but it is biblical fiction at its best!

Thank you to Barbour Publishing for my complimentary copy of 'Slender Reeds: Jochebed’s Hope'.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Slender Reeds: Jochebed’s Hope is written by Texie Susan Gregory. This is a Christian historical fiction story of an unknown mother in Biblical times. This is the story of Moses’ mother, Jochebed, as well as her family and friends.

Jochebed is the only child of a widow and master basket weaver. As her mother weaves, she tells stories told down through the years confirming God’s love. Jochebed and her mother find an injured girl, Shiprah, along the water and take her home with them.

Not having a father, the fathers of Jochebed’s friends Lili and Deborah, make arrangements for Jochebed to be married to Amram. Amram is a widower and asks to have a year to mourn his wife and son and then be married to Jochebed and live with her and her mother in the home her father built.

Shiprah eventually goes to live with her mother’s sister and learns how to be a midwife. Being half-Hebrew and half-Egyptian, she is really not trusted. Pharaoh Ramses, the ruler of Egypt, turns to Shiprah, asking her and the other midwives to end the lives of any Hebrew baby boy born. She is unable to follow through on his commands so Ramses starts having his guards go around regularly to kill all the infant boys.

Jochebed has given birth to a baby boy and fears for his life. She decides to make a basket and coat it to make it water proof. She puts her baby boy in the basket along the shoreline of the river with hopes of an Egyptian person finding him and taking him into their home.

This is a very touching story. It starts out slow and rather confusing with all the characters. But after a few chapters, the story becomes hard to put down. The story is based on the book of Exodus and the story of Moses. The author helps to bring the characters to life to help us understand what life must have been for them. I can’t begin to imagine the fear the young mothers lived in. To go through nine months of carrying a baby fearing that it will be a boy and be killed. And then to live in constant fear of the guards. The women were required to make so many mats to turn in or be beaten. The men were off doing work for Ramses, many not being able to come home at all. The women are left all alone to care for their families and tend their homes and fields. The story is very touching when the women put their differences aside and step into to help each other.

I received a copy of the book from Barbour Publishing and I have written an honest review.

[Audrey Grant · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this e-book free from NetGalley for my honest opinion and review.
I love "Bible Themed Novels", but they are a hard genre to be accurate in writing! So if they are good and right they are GREAT! But if they stray from the Bible... they can turn awful very fast!
This one, while being very much an imaginary novel, since it is about a time that there are only a very few verses about, and has a while list of characters that aren't even in the Bible.
While many books have been written about Moses and Aaron and even their sister Mariam. This book is about their Mother! Starting when she is 12! A fascinating read and look at how it "could have happened". Given the customs, the Pharoh and Queen, the historical things we now know about that time and place added to the Bible account makes for a very interesting... What if.

*Side Note... While tastefully written, the author ties the two midwives, that are mentioned in Exodus, into the storyline (very beautifully I might add) which makes sense for the story, but in doing so there is child birth, loss of babies, monthly cycles... All dealt with very well but honestly. So you might wish to preview depending on the age/development of your pre-teen/teen.

[Connie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Slender Reeds: Jochebed’s Hope, a debut novel by Texie Susan Gregory, is a powerful, fictional account about the mother of Moses. With wonderfully detailed descriptions of people, events, and settings, Texie skillfully led me into a life unlike ours today. The story begins the year before Jochebed’s marriage. Her insecurities are so finely detailed that I couldn’t help but empathize with this young woman who would be facing the prospect of an arranged marriage with someone she did not know. The book flows seamlessly through her life until the birth of her third child, Moses and ends on the day she has to relinquish her three-year-old son.

I loved how the author built much of the book around how Jochebed’s mother instilled such a strong belief in God in her daughter teaching her to trust that God can work things out to your good--even things that seem to be especially difficult. Throughout the book, that teaching was something she held on to and left me with the feeling it was the one thing we can all hold onto in this life.

This new author is definitely one who will be making a name for herself. I highly recommend this well written book.

[Flora · Rating 4 out of 5]

Texie Susan Gregory is an excellent storyteller! The story in Exodus was brought to live in Slender Reeds: Jochebed's Hope.

It's wonderful how the Biblical characters were fleshed out though details about them in the Bible are almost non-existent. I confess to not remembering that the names Shiphrah and Puah were mentioned in Scripture!

Sometimes I found it hard to read some of the vivid details, though, knowing that what she writes about really happened. It's terrible to imagine the living conditions and some of the scenes, especially the killing of the newborn sons.

Thirty-eight questions at the end of the book help readers to reflect on the book individually or discuss in groups.

I hope Ms Gregory is still writing! I look forward to reading her next book!

Thank you Netgalley and Barbour Publishing for providing access to this book. Apologies that I took so long to write a review. I have just come to my senses and hope to clear all the backlog I acquired in my foolish younger days! Ha!

[Delsie Konoske · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful Biblical novel!
I loved how the author used descriptive word pictures to bring “Slender Reeds” alive, and pulled the reader into the life of Jochebed. You not only experience the hardships and sorrows in the lives of the Hebrew people in Egypt, you also see how they struggle as slaves under Pharaoh. Their daily schedule was to provide and care for their families, but also fulfill work quotas. But the story is more than that as you learn of friendships, love, faith, and forgiveness.
This story gave a new perspective to the story of Moses’ family and the Hebrew people as you read the Biblical account in Exodus.
I have received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing in exchange for my honest review.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a wonderful story of baby Moses. I loved how Jochebed made a decision to keep her male child from being killed as all male children born to a Jewish mother by decree was to be killed. So she weaves a basket that will keep her child from drowning in his journey which she prays that he will be noticed and taken into safety. The actions of Shiphrah, the half-Egyptian midwife uses all of her faith to keep this baby safe until the decision to put the basket into the water in faith. This is a book once started if difficult to put down and I found myself routing for a successful conclusion. I found this book hard to put down in its approach to the biblical story of Moses

[Robin Ebony · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this creative rendition of three completely different women at varying places in their walks with God. Of course, when reading historical fiction, a person always worries about the facts being twisted. Their lives and stories, though not what I expected, are not at least different than what the Bible does tell us about them. It’s just simply the case that the Bible does not give us much information concerning these women, so the author has taken a lot of liberty with their stories. I think that’s what I ended up enjoying the most about this book. It wasn’t at all what I expected. It was a nice surprise! :) Plus, the sisterhood between the friends was beautiful and encouraging.

[Yvette · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you have ever wondered about biblical fiction, or been intimidated to try a biblical retelling, this is a book I would recommend starting with. Written in a highly approachable manner, covering the eight years of Jochebed's life prior to (and a little past, in the epilogue) placing her infant son in a basket and setting him in the Nile to be found by the Egyptian princess who would name him Moses.

Mixed in with the two storylines, those of Jochebed and the half-Egyptian midwife Shiphrah, are glimpses into the royal court and the mind of Pharaoh Ramses. While interesting, I found myself starting to skim through much of them unless the scene included his wife or daughter. The Egyptian scenes otherwise had a same-ness to them, and while the descriptions were well done, they lacked the warmth of the scenes in the Hebrew village.

Romance is not an emphasis in this book, and though I would have liked a more present and involved Amram, the story does not suffer from the lack of it. In fact, this was one of the points that didn't ring true to the historical and cultural setting when one of Jochebed's young friends is portrayed as the pretty girl that all of the boys are after. The arranged marriage of a barely acquainted Jochebed and the older, widowed Amram felt much more authentic.

While this is a story of faith that one expects from such retellings, and the book's description, it is also the story of girlhood friendships and a study in motherly love and sacrifice. And that motherly love is both received and experienced in different times and ways to each of the childhood friends.

As a debut novel, taking on the story of Moses' mother or any biblical retelling seems to me a bit of a gamble, but here it has paid off. I look forward to seeing more from Texie Susan Gregory.

This review refers to an ebook read courtesy of the publisher, through NetGalley, in exchange for a review. All opinions expressed are my own. Originally posted at bookworlder.wordpress.com

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have always loved the exodus story of the bible and I always loved the story of Moses. I have yet to find another biblical fiction book about one of my favorite women of the bible. This book is a very good interpretation of what jochebed's version of the story might be like. (We don't really know what happened back in the past, but I would always like to think about what was jochebed's story before she had Moses go in the basket.). This book was refreshing to read.

[Lorrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Biblical fiction book tells the story of Jochabed, mother to Miriam, Aaron and Moses. I appreciate it when Christian fiction authors write stories on lesser-known, yet equally relevant Bible characters. It had to have taken an enormous amount of faith to put her baby into a basket and into the Nile River, allowing God to save him in a most mysterious way.

[Tammy Hornbeck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Review: Slender Reeds by Texie Susan Gregory
If you are looking for a story to stir the Holy Spirit in you, I highly recommend this one -- it did it for me. It's comforting to know women in the Bible struggled like we do and reassuring to watch God be faithful and Hope to conquer fear. This book has everything you need to reignite your faith.

[Karen Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great historical fiction. It's based on some of the Bible stories about the Hebrews living in Egypt and their sufferings. If you know the story about Moses then you know some of this story. The author, Texie Susan Gregory, had to add characters and events in order to move the story along only, because we don't know that much about Moses' mother, Jochebed.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

I sorta felt like nothing was resolved. Which, I mean, I could just read the Bible and it would be, but still. What happened to Shiphrah and her abusive father? Did the men return or die?

Not a huge fan of the writing style either, the dialogue was clunky and 21st century in parts. But that's just personal preference. I liked the morals and could appreciate the message.

[Lola · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story about friendships!

I wasn't expecting the story to be about the friendship of the young girls. The problems in each of their lives affect țhe relationship. At times my heart really ached for one of them. Life has challenges.

[Tiffany Roebuck · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first jump into biblical fiction. The book was an easy read but kept me interested from start to finish.
The story resonates with me in so many levels. It captures the universal struggles women often face with friendship, community, motherhood, marriage and faith.

[cindy simpson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I loved Jochebed's mother and how she saw God in everything and kept and shared her faith with her daughter and her friends. Especially Shiphrah the midwife. It was sad at times but also uplifting. Hope to read more from Mrs. Gregory.

[Debi Capito · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hope there is a sequel!

This book was SO GOOD!! I was sorry it ended, and pray there will be a sequel! As a published author myself, I recognize an AMAZING gift of writing here!

[Beverly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the novel. I cannot say I loved it. What I did love was the strength in the women this novel spoke of: Shiprah, Jochebed, and her mother just to name a few.