Judah's Wife

The Silent Years #2

by Angela Elwell Hunt

Seeking peace and safety after a hard childhood, Leah marries Judah, a strong and gentle man, and for the first time in her life Leah believes she can rest easily. But the land is ruled by Antiochus IV, descended from one of Alexander the Great's generals, and when he issues a decree that all Jews are to conform to Syrian laws upon pain of death, devout Jews risk everything to follow the law of Moses.

Judah's father resists the decree, igniting a war that will cost him his life. But before dying, he commands his son to pick up his sword and continue the fight--or bear responsibility for the obliteration of the land of Judah. Leah, who wants nothing but peace, struggles with her husband's decision--what kind of God would destroy the peace she has sought for so long? 

The miraculous story of the courageous Maccabees is told through the eyes of Judah's wife, who learns that love requires courage . . . and sacrifice. 

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

386 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 2, 2018

About the author

Christy-Award winner Angela Hunt writes for readers who have learned to expect the unexpected in novels from this versatile author. With nearly six million copies of her books sold worldwide, she is the best-selling author of more than 165 works ranging from picture books (The Tale of Three Trees) to novels.

Now that her two children are grown, Angie and her husband live in Florida with Very Big Dogs (a direct result of watching Turner and Hooch and Sandlot too many times). This affinity for mastiffs has not been without its rewards--one of their dogs was featured on Live with Regis and Kelly as the second-largest canine in America. Their dog received this dubious honor after an all-expenses-paid trip to Manhattan for the dog and the Hunts, complete with VIP air travel and a stretch limo in which they toured New York City.

Afterward, the dog gave out pawtographs at the airport.

Angela admits to being fascinated by animals, medicine, psychology, unexplained phenomena, and “just about everything” except sports. Books, she says, have always shaped her life— in the fifth grade she learned how to flirt from reading Gone with the Wind.

Her books have won the coveted Christy Award, several Angel Awards from Excellence in Media, and the Gold and Silver Medallions from Foreword Magazine’s Book of the Year Award. In 2007, her novel The Note was featured as a Christmas movie on the Hallmark channel. Romantic Times Book Club presented her with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006, and American Christian Fiction Writers bestowed the same award in 2019.

In 2006, Angela completed her Master of Biblical Studies in Theology degree and completed her second doctorate in 2015. When she’s not home reading or writing, Angie often travels to teach writing workshops at schools and writers’ conferences. And to talk about her dogs, of course.

Reviews

[Jerry (Rebel With a Massive Media Library) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I have never read the Apocrypha, though I have heard about it for years; in fact, one time, I mentioned it in my high school Bible class, and nobody else--not even the teacher!--knew what it was.

Still, history can be entertaining regardless of what period it comes from, and this book shines a light on Judah Maccabee; it made for an exciting read.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a historical fiction novel based at the time of Chanukah, in fact Judah's Wife refers to the wife of Judah Maccabee, the Hammer. Who fought in the wars the allowed our people not to be annihilated. It is both a historical fiction, and yet holiday season read. The story is told alternating between Judah and Leah, (a character she named), and each of them are trying to discover themselves as the story is unfolding. For Leah, she is the daughter of a cheese seller, and she grew up in a home with terrible domestic violence. For her, learning to love a warrior and to understand the difference between a war that saves our people from destruction, and needless violence, that was her trajectory. For Judah, middle son of five, he is the big, bulky, and strong one. Picked to be commander of the armies, despite that no one has confidence in him, not his brothers nor his wife, beyond his abilities to use his strength and fierceness. And yet as a man, he is gentle, loving, perceptive, and devoted. He too has to wrestle with violence, needless violence, and figure out who he is. Both are trying to sort it out throughout the novel. I thought that aspect was well done.

The author, Angela Hunt, is a Christian historical fiction writer, and has what seems to be over a hundred books. But what astonishes me, and where my attention keeps turning, is to the breadth and depth of her knowledge, even with pieces or aspects of Judaism that are estoteric and not well known. It's almost impossible for me to believe she hasn't studied and lived this for her lifetime. I found this author, while reading on Cleopatra last year. She had a Jewish protagonist, lifetime friend to Cleopatra. The next book in her Silent Years Series is about a female protagonist in Jerusalem. She has written books on Delilah, Batsheba, Esther. And many more. The author has a particular interest in the Silent Years, the 400 years before the old and new testament, where little is known about the history, and particularly less about its women's figures. Like a true "midrash" writer, this is her story of what might have happened, and with some incredible historical accuracy as well as a flavor for the beliefs of this culture. There is a lot of emphasis in this book about what each of our purpose in life, what God created us for. And its hard for me to know if she, the author knows, what a central aspect of Judaism that is. That each of our bodies and lives have been created as a vessel by God for a particular purpose. Coincidence? I have no idea?

Meanwhile, this is causing me to reflect about how drawn to Judaism many non-Jews are. I daresay that people see a beauty in this religion, and want to know more, or even be a part of it. While in history, they went to annihilate us, now there is almost I daresay a huge draw. The concepts are beautiful, and people seem to take to them and see its beauty. Which, if you didn't know, was predicted in the teachings, and in this generation. But for Angela Hunt to be so prolific in this area, I am wondering about the gifts that her soul was created for, and how she understands her draw to this. She appears to be a star in the Christian fiction world. Curious.

Anyway, many of the facts are indeed accurate, and some things are things even highly literate Jews wouldn't know. For one, the final war that took place, ended on the 14th of Adar, the same day as Purim. Where twice on that day, the Jewish people were delivered out of annihilation. Also, that during and within a few years of this last war, none of the Maccabee brothers survived. Nor their children. Also, the reference to Leah being a cheese makers daughter, and able to produce such delicious cheese... Well I learned earlier this week, asking a question about Judith in the historical story, who I thought was Judah's wife. Turns out she was the aunt. That her profession was Cheesemaker. And the idea that Judah has "visions"? At least one was recorded, while the author gives us three. But that to me, prophecy, has been one of the most interesting aspects that I am drawn to. What is prophecy and predestination, and what is free will? Are some people anointed by God Created by and for a certain purpose? Were we always destined to win this war?

The story of the oil lasting eight days, didn't occur in the story, and the author explains, its because it probably never happened. Which is also true. But its meant to be a metaphor, of the eternal light that never goes out. Belief, and hope, and resilience. Which our characters deal with. At this time in our collective lives and in our world, it feels like belief is a lot harder to come by. God and Faith and Miracles are shielded from us. But they are there. The trick is, how to live one's life with both predestination and prophecy, and knowing we have to act on our own conscience and free will, whether it was prophesized or not. Kind of reminds me of the feeling in Harry Potter 3, when Harry realizes something essential on this theme. Outlander, even by Book Four has a similar premise. Do we act as we do, or how we were supposed to all along? Well, I think the mystery between the two is where life and magic happens personally. And my favorite place to muse.

Thank you, Angela, for this timely Chanukah historical fiction. I enjoyed it, and the prior Cleopatra book, and I look forward to reading more of your works.

[Audrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Judah and his wife, Leah share their story of fighting for the freedom of Israel from heathen rulers and pagan priests. It made me want to refresh my knowledge of the history of the Maccabees.

[Molly Jaber (Audiobooks And Sweet Tea) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my goodness. This book, y'all. THIS. BOOK. Angela Hunt is an amazing author. Her style is so incredibly unique. I was blessed to have EGYPT'S SISTER and now I've been doubly blessed to get to read another incredibly moving, mind altering novel by the uberly talented Ms. Hunt.

In this incredible novel, we get to see Judah and Leah. I had a deep sadness for all Leah went through. As someone who has dealt with an abusive man before, I felt all her trust issues, I felt all her pain and suffering. I can't imagine what it was like during that time period to be abused by your father and not be able to trust.

And Judah....oh, how I loved his flaw filled self. He was not someone I would have normally enjoyed seeing in a book, but as I read the story, I fell in love with him hard. He was such a wonderful person for the story. Seeing him with Leah, well I cheered them on throughout the book.

Ms. Hunt has, once again, hit the Biblical fiction nail on the head. This book will shake you to the core, and leave you with all the feels that a book can leave you with. The inspirational messages from the Lord are perfectly pieced together within the pages of this book. If I could give this book 5 million stars I would. Go grab it now! You won't be sorry!

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Publisher and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*

[Shainna · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'll preface this by saying that I'm not in the target audience for this book. I picked it up to read because it's Hanukkah and I wanted some historical fiction about the Maccabees. I knew going in that it was Christian historical romance - something I rarely, if ever, like. I did argue with myself before reading but I read it anyway.

This story is both oversimplified and underdeveloped. I'll start with the characters.

No character in this book is well rounded. They are all bland and have only the characteristics the story requires for the plot to move forward. Mattathias is Righteous with a capital r - his faith is absolute, he obeys all the laws (except for fighting on Shabbat, not killing, and having someone put up a shade.) His wife is devoted and always there for comfort and to say the right things. One of the brothers is only there for counsel, another there to be "woo! let's fight!", another to be jealous, and the last to be the youngest.

Judah says at the beginning he never thought he would marry. I thought that was interesting but after the first mention, he just says it to the guy writing the marriage agreement. Why did he not want to get married? I googled and found that there were more bachelors during this time because of monetary concerns, but this isn't an issue for Judah. So why not? Then he implies it's his awkwardness, but that matters not at all because he talks with her and then bam, they're married. When leadership is given to him, he says he doesn't really want it, but never tries to give it up or really defer any authority away. In fact he goes on to give a speech about how he'll lead them.

And Leah - for a book titled "Judah's wife" this isn't really about her and she has no personality. She's timid and wants to live in peace - but she also has like a snap change so she's giving him advice and arguing with him and making demands. She's afraid of God, so she obeys all his laws - except not really? She'd be one hundred percent ok with Hellenization if it gave her safety, but if that goes against God, shouldn't she not want Hellenization because it would bring God's wrath?

The author's attempts at portraying ancient Jews felt wrong to me. Mattathias's sermons/preaching sounded more like a TV show's evangelical preacher than any sermon I've heard from a rabbi. During a circumcision, she has the mother doing the cutting. This doesn't hold with the ceremony I'm familiar with. The mother, until recently, wasn't in the room because she had given birth 8 days ago, she was more likely to be emotional, exhausted, and therefore make a mistake. Yes, Tzipporah circumcised her son but that wasn't what was normal. In fact, it would have been the father's task - and even he gave the knife to a representative so that it could be done safely.

The over emphasis on pork really grated my nerves. There are 613 mitzvot and Hunt chose to focus on Shabbat observance, sacrifice, and eating pork. Where were the things like, "Can I raise pigs for slaughter if I'm not going to eat them but Gentiles will?" or "I need to make money and I've gone into partnership with a Gentile, is it ok for the store to be open on Shabbat if I don't work and he does?" Or even "This fabric is super cheap and I'm poor, if it's the only thing I can afford, can I wear it even though it's mixed fabric?" It doesn't even have to be about laws - it could be covering the differences like, "It's the tenth of Nisan, what day is it for the Gentiles???"

All these disagreements and issues were also very black and white. Either you were a Hellene or you were with the Maccabees. This was not and is never the case.

I was completely taken aback by giving Judah a vision of the Holocaust. It's an inappropriate analogy. Antiochus IV wasn't interested in killing Jews because they were Jewish. If you obeyed the laws, he left you alone. Nazis came after anyone with Jewish ancestry because of eugenics. Then having them say they were obeying orders because they didn't know how cruel they could be - bullshit. Throughout history, Jews have seen how cruel people can be. The Inquisition wasn't a minor inconvenience. The pogroms weren't a minor inconvenience. They weren't obeying the Nazis orders and being led to the crematoriums in his vision because they didn't know how cruel they could be. They were following orders because they knew how cruel they could be. Resistance meant a beating or death. They were following orders in hopes that by obeying they would live. Again, Hunt oversimplified things.

Leaving out the miracle of the oil. Her reasoning for that was that it's debated whether or not that happened. So what? She gave Judah visions and had God speak to Leah and there's no mention of either of those, so why not make even a reference to the oil? Something like, "The oil stores are very low, we'll have to make that a priority" would have been something.

The ending explanations where she talked about the stones was also unpleasant. The whole thing the Maccabees had was that they were Jewish and they weren't going to assimilate. Throwing in a mention of "they never recognized the real prophet and Messiah, so the stones weren't addressed" was gross. This is a story about Jews being Jews and fighting for their right to be Jewish, just leave Jesus out of it.

[The Lit Bitch · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

I happened to see one of this author’s books up for giveaway on Goodreads and I was intrigued by the sound of her ‘signature style’ which seems to be women in the Bible. I didn’t win the giveaway but I did pick up one of her books the next time I was at my library.

This book stood out because of the beautiful cover and I know next to nothing about the Maccabee rebellion so I thought—-why not?

This book was difficult to categorize for me—-was it Christian fiction? Yes, in a way. Was it historical fiction? Yes, but with serious religious themes. Was it Jewish fiction? Yes, ish. For me, I would call this more Biblical fiction. There were obvious religious themes in this book with a heavy emphasis on Jewish traditions and issues in the land of Israel. I didn’t think that this book was preachy at all, was it heavy on the religious history and having faith—-yes but I didn’t feel like it was overly preachy if you look at it from a historian stand point.

I loved how the author incorporated the untold story of Leah, Judah’s wife in this book. It provided an interesting angle and balanced the religious history and teaching nicely. For me, I struggle with the Bible some times—-not because of the message etc but because of the duplicate or strange names and complicated familial ties (this from the woman who is currently reading the history of the Targaryens—and not struggling with all the weird names and familial ties). For me I think I focus so much on the message of the Bible, rather than following the stories in the Bible.

That’s why this book appealed to me so much. Here was a Biblical story with lots of people and family members and enemies but it was condensed and modernized to help readers find excitement and interest in a story that many people would just disregard.

I loved watching the story of Judah and Leah unfold. I wasn’t really a fan of Leah, she was stubborn, ungrateful, and refused to see anything from someone else’s perspective. It bordered on irritating. But I liked how she eventually got on board with the whole revolt situation.

This book was a fairly quick read and I enjoyed reading something completely out of my comfort zone. This is an author I would probably have not picked up a few years ago but lately I’ve been really into books that focus on strong women and what better place to start than in the Bible. I confess—I bought her latest book and am eager to read all of her others. This book was part of a series but absolutely could be read as a standalone and in fact, it’s meant to be more of a stand alone book. There are two others that focus on the same period in the Bible but are about different women.

I am glad that I stumbled upon this author and look forward to reading more interesting bad ass women!

See my full review here

[Fiction Aficionado · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have always found it interesting that the time of Antiochus IV Epiphanes is prophesied in Daniel, and yet the account of the Maccabees’ courageous stand against him is not part of the official Biblical canon (although it is a part of the Apocrypha in I & II Maccabees). The story of the Maccabean Revolt is well known to Jews through the annual celebration of Hannukah, which commemorates the rededication of the Temple following its purification, but it’s less well known to Christians unless they’ve studied the prophecies of Daniel or intertestamental Jewish history. So when I found out that Angela Hunt’s next book was going cover the Maccabean Revolt, I was eager for a front row seat.

Having said that, it’s a pretty ugly and brutal time in Jewish history, and for that reason, I think it was a great decision to make the historical events the backdrop for what is in some ways a coming-of-age story—and a moving one at that. From a young girl who lived her life in constant fear of her father’s violence and doubted HaShem’s love, Leah grew to be a woman of strength who could see HaShem’s loving hand even in the midst of her sorrow. But it was not an easy path.

One of the greatest strengths of this novel is Hunt’s portrayal of Leah’s and Judah’s characters; they were complex, but entirely believable. Judah was both a gentle giant and a ferocious warrior, and Leah’s struggle to understand and accept this was a big part of her journey. So too was her struggle to understand genuine love in all its different guises—both here on earth and from HaShem in heaven—and to reach a place where she could offer that love in return, particularly to Judah. It’s a testament to Hunt’s storytelling ability that this maturation in Leah was so convincing amidst the upheaval and violence she so abhored.

Backed as it was by Hunt’s solid historical research and masterful narrative, this was a gripping and emotional read.

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not influenced the content of my review, which is my honest and unbiased opinion.

[Eva-Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't know much about the Maccabees before I read Judah's Wife, but I knew that I'd learn more about them through Hunt's writing, as she does great research. I wasn't disappointed in that regard (in fact, I kind of want to read First and Second Maccabees now). As always, Hunt's writing style is clear, precise, and very interesting - something that I've found to be a rarity in most Christian fiction. I'm never bored while reading one of her books and that certainly held true for Judah's Wife.

Despite the title of the book, I felt that there was more focus on Judah than on his wife, Leah. The accounts of Judah's battles, struggles, and victories took up a large part of the book and were fascinating (and awe-inspiring; God was so very present). Judah was an amazing man and a character I would have gladly spent even more time with. His courage and bravery, as well as his tenderness and care for Leah was wonderful.

Leah did annoy me at times (girl, there's a clear difference between domestic abuse and fulfilling God's will by striking down the enemies of His people) but she matured and grew throughout the book and by the end, I really liked her. I also liked Judah's brothers (lots of brothers = cool family dynamic). And Philander + his son.

The only things I didn't like about Judah's Wife were that at times the characters didn't feel super fleshed out, it was a 'kissing book' and sometimes a little uncomfortable in that regard, and some of the violence/torture was...*shudders*.

That being said, I truly did enjoy this book. It just made me cry a lot right at the end. (But, hey, that isn't necessarily a bad thing.)

I received this book for free in exchange for my honest review.

[AnnaScott · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book follows Leah, the daughter of a merchant in Jerusalem, in her marriage to Judah Maccabaeus, the son of Mattathias (from 1 Maccabees in the Apocrypha). Leah grew up with an abusive father, so she is grateful to be able to leave with Judah, but at the same time she struggles believing that he truly isn’t going to hurt her, especially when her father-in-law Mattathias begins a war on the Gentiles overtaking and persecuting Jews. Her fears put a pressure on their marriage, and she must learn how to love and be loved.

Things I liked about this book: The time period. I had never read anything written about the Silent Years or the Apocrypha. It was fascinating reading about the challenges they faced, and how the Jews responded to Greek rule. I also liked the questions it posed to readers. There were several instances where characters had to choose between obeying God or obeying the Greeks, at the consequence of death if they were found out. It really challenged me to think about that and what I would do in the situation.


Things I didn’t love: The story of Judah’s family was told through the perspective of his marriage with Leah. While this was such an interesting perspective, I feel like they didn’t address their relationship enough in the end. They had their ups and downs in the beginning, but after the climax of their relationship you hardly see them interact at all, which I found odd that the times they were supposed to be the closest, we didn’t see it. I also didn't love the ending. It was based off of the actual occurrences of 1 Maccabees, so there was only so much that Hunt could do for her ending, but it was still sad.

Overall it was an interesting read, telling the story of ancient Jews from a new perspective. I would recommend for older readers since it does follow their marriage closely, though without giving details.

This review was originally posted here.

[Kav · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a toe-dabbling biblical fiction reader so I approach this genre with a bit of trepidation. Hence Judah's Wife sat on my TBR pile for a couple of weeks while I gathered the gumption to crack it open. And wouldn't you know it? Once I did, I couldn't stop reading. Seriously, I was instantly mesmerized. Hunt's words seamlessly flow, creating captivating images that helped me feel like I was actually witnessing events as they unfolded.

Using alternate points of view, this story comes to life through the eyes of both Leah and Judah. Now I'm not a biblical scholar. At all. And I knew absolutely nothing about the Maccabean Revolt -- or even thought much about that 400 year gap between the Old and New Testament so I learned a lot from this novel. It's a brutal piece of history so not always the easiest of reads but the author balances that with Leah's and Judah's developing love story.

There's tragedy and triumph and deep sorrow -- all the hallmarks of an epic tale. And as I read, I found myself making modern day connections. In 168 BC, the Jewish faith was threatened by assimilation from Greek culture. The result was the watering down of the old ways which led to unimaginable hardships. Thousands of years later Christians face the same challenge -- do we assimilate current cultural mores in order to please the society we live in? Or do we stand true to biblical teachings? It really got me thinking about where I stand and if I'm ready to answer the hard questions when my answers aren't going to be popular with today's culture. Pretty humbling...and, if I'm truthful, terrifying. I love it when a novel challenges like that!

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications Inc.

[Nay Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't sure if this was going to be a solid 4 or 5 star rating, but I'm going with a 4.25 star rating. I was invested in the characters, I enjoyed the romance, loved the use of scripture and how Hunt included history into the story. This was beautiful. There were times when I felt the story dragged in the middle and the miscommunication and lack of communication with Leah and Judah annoyed me.

Overall, this was such a pleasant read. Leah was a quiet woman with a sassy mouth. She was trained to expect a mans anger from a young age. To her, being beat or yelled at was normal. Kindness was far-fetched for her. Judah was a strong man, but didn't know much about love and communication. I loved seeing their growth both as individuals and as a couple.

The faith aspects were phenomenal for me! This was well written, the first of the series so I definitely plan to go back and read book one, Egypt's Sister: A Novel of Cleopatra, as soon as possible.

[Tina at Mommynificent · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recently, I found myself very interested in understanding the origins of Hanukkah. So I started looking at historical texts like the Books of Maccabees and the writings of Josephus, and I looked for lots of helps from others in understanding these ancient documents. Providentially, right in the middle of this search, I was asked to review an ARC of Angela Hunt’s next book, Judah’s Wife. I agreed, actually thinking it was Biblical fiction about Jacob’s son Judah, but then quickly found out that it was fiction about the life of Judah Maccabaeus, also know as Judas Maccabee, the human hero of the story of Hanukkah (because of course, God is the real hero!) I couldn’t believe God had sent me this book to read right as I was desiring to learn more about the origins of this holiday!

I so enjoyed reading this book! It met a desire I had to understand the story behind Hanukkah by making me feel as if I were right there, living it with Judah and Leah. I am so glad that Hunt chose to tell the story by alternating between their perspectives because hearing Leah’s perspective every now and again made the gruesome battles and rather boring tactical stuff that is the bulk of Judah’s story palatable and relatable. I said to my husband at one point that the book had more violence and fighting than I would have liked, but that the Maccabees themselves probably would have said the same thing about their lives so it was probably appropriate.

While others of Hunt’s books have bothered me because I felt like she took too much leeway with historical and Biblical facts, I knew so little about this period of history that I have no idea how much leeway she took other than what she discloses in the author’s note at the end, which was very informative and helpful to my learning. So that was not a problem for me with this book.

I think what I enjoyed the most about this book is how much I learned from the Maccabaeus family. I never realized how relevant their story would be to my life, but I was truly inspired by their refusal to compromise when it came to worshiping and obeying God. Whether the pressure to conform came in the form of persecution or in the form of promises of comfort and ease, they saw it for what it was and refused to stray from the path marked out for them by Scripture. This book added much to our family’s first celebration of Hanukkah, and I know I will return to it often as we celebrate in the future.

[Loraine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very little is known about the Silent Years (the years between the Old and New Testaments when God was silent), but Angela Elwell Hunt's newest series does an excellent job bringing them to life. This second novel in the series focuses on the Macccabees. Little is known about them other than what is in the Book of the Maccabees which is not included in the Christian Bible. During these 400 years, the Gentiles take over the tabernacle and many Jews stray away from their beliefs in the one God of their religion. Judah Maccabbee and his brothers feel called to lead revolts against the armies who are trying to annihilate the Jewish people who are staying true to their one God.

Elwell does an amazing job with bringing this time period to life both with her obvious historical research and the characters she includes and brings to life. Judah's wife, Leah, grew and changed so much as she was treated with kindness and love by Judah which she hadn't received from her father. As she grew with Judah's treatment of her, she also grew stronger in her faith and discovered a role to play while Judah was leading the forces against the various armies. I learned a lot about the wars that occurred during these silent years which helps make a wonderful connection between the end of the Old Testament and the beginning of the New.

Kudos to Hunt for bringing to life this little known period. I'm looking forward to reading Book 3 in this series: Jerusalem's Queen: A Novel of Salome Alexandra.

[Jeanne Alfveby Crea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am studying salvation history in my bible study, and during one session, we talked about the brave Maccabees, who lead a courageous and ultimately successful resistance to violent suppression of their religion by their Seleuicid rulers. So I was very interested in reading Judah's wife by Angela Hunt. She always writes thought provoking historical and biblical fiction. I love how she brought to life Judah and his family. Judah was such a loyal self-sacrificing hero who encouraged the army of Israel to take a stand and not lose their religious heritage or compromise their faith. It is a continual example to every age. They put their trust completely in God, and though outnumbered, fought battle after battle with God's help. Makes me want to go back and re-read Maccabees! Angela Hunt does an amazing job, making their story come to life.

(If you are interested in more information about how this story fits into the bible: There is some confusion about why the Maccabbee's are in Catholic and Orthodox bibles and not in Protestant Bibles. The Jewish people had two canons: The Canon among the Palestinian Jews (Protocanonical Books), the Hebrew Old Testament, and The Canon among the Alexandrian Jews (Deutero-canonical Books), also known as the ancient Greek Old Testament known as the Septuagint. Scholars generally admit that the Septuagint faithfully represents the O. T. as it was current among the Hellenist or Alexandrian Jews in the age immediately preceding Christ. It is this version of the Old Testament that the Jews and the authors of the New Testament were using. After the Jewish temple was destroyed in 70AD by the Romans, and the increasing growth of the Christians, the Jews decided to go back to the Hebrew Old Testament, (minus the 7 books found in the Greek Version). The Christians continued using it. The canon of the entire Bible was essentially settled around the turn of the fourth century includes the Greek version of the Old Testament. Around this time there were no less than five instances when the canon was formally identified: the Synod of Rome (382), the Council of Hippo (393), the Council of Carthage (397), a letter from Pope Innocent I to Exsuperius, Bishop of Toulouse (405), and the Second Council of Carthage (419). In every instance, the canon was identical to what Catholic Bibles contain today. By the time of the Reformation, Christians had been using the same 73 books in their Bibles (46 in the Old Testament, 27 in the New Testament)--and thus considering them inspired--for more than 1100 years. Martin Luther adopted the Hebrew version rejecting the version used by Jews and Christians in the first century, and what Christians had been using since the time of Christ. He put the 7 books of the Old Testament not found in the Hebrew canon in the appendix. He also put the letter of James, the letter to the Hebrews, the letters of John, and the book of Revelation from the New Testament in an appendix. His followers went along with his changes in the Old Testament, but not the New Testament.)

[Angieleigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Once again one of my biggest complaints is that this is labeled as Christian fiction when it is NOT even remotely Christian as it takes place in the 400 years between the Old Testament and the New Testament known as the Great Silence (God did not send any Prophets nor did He speak to anyone).

Christian = Jesus. Jesus had not been born yet as this was approximately about a hundred years before Mary's Virgin Pregnancy.

If anything this should be labeled as biblical fiction, historical fiction, or even Jewish fiction as the people in the story, both made up and real, were Jewish.

Judah Maccabee is not found in the Torah and only mentioned in passing in the Protestant Bible, but can be found in the Apocrypha in the Catholic Bible (one day I'll get around to reading the Apocrypha) in The First Book of the Maccabees and The Second Book of the Maccabees. Angela did a great job of weaving fictional characters and background with historical happenings.

I've come to realize after reading the first two books in this series that I don't particularly care for the female main characters that Hunt created. While I absolutely love flawed characters, both women were incredibly annoying, though Chava was much worse than Leah. Unlike Chava, it didn't take nearly the entire book for Leah to understand her husband and what her role in life was to be.

Not gonna lie, by the end of the book I was bawling my eyes out on my emotional stuffed Pua the Pig from Moana.

This book covers a variety of tropes, including domestic violence, war, and beheadings.

[Amelia · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF - the history was cool to read but the characters were missing something

[Sarah Cnossen · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's much I could say, and if you love the Biblical, historical side of stories, then you may very well enjoy this one. I encourage you to give it a try! I just could not get into it. Leah was an absolute brat, in my opinion, and annoyed me to no end. I found myself wanting to slap her silly. Grrr. . . I apologize, but I just did not connect with this story. She does come to her senses (by the END of the book), and gives her husband her full support, encouraging him as she ought, and eventually accepting his role as commander. Judah, on the other hand, was an upright and righteous young man, who gave his all to his God and was used greatly by Him. I must say this though, [SPOILER] this novel does not have a very happy ending. . .

Full review: http://sarah-plainandaverage.blogspot...

[Allan67 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another book that I read to Diana. We can't do much anymore after her stroke, so I read to her to spend time together. Diana has always loved to have someone to read to her - and I like to do just that.

A fictional story that could have been how the Maccabees books could have been. I and II Maccabees are books between the Old and the new Testament. These books are not included in all versions of the Bibles.

This fictionalization if an interesting read and could have been how things happened - or not, but it is fiction, so enjoy.

[Ashton Dorow · Rating 5 out of 5]

ALL THE TEARS!!! 😩😫😭❤️

I loved this journey through a fascinating part of Jewish history that I had never heard of before. Before I began reading this series, I hadn’t given much thought to the time between the Old and New Testaments, but it’s very interesting, now that I’ve come to really think about it. In the space of those few hundred years between the Testaments, the culture and political make up of Israel changed drastically and the world around it was also vastly altered. How did they get there? What brought the nation of Israel to where it was in Christ’s day? Now, I know.

The story was fairly fast paced, especially towards the end when the action got even more intense! I didn’t want to put it down! And when it was all over, I was sad to bid the characters farewell and I felt inspired by all that I’d read.

I loved Judah and his courage and bravery, devotion to Leah, his family, his people, and of course, the Lord. I love when a book about a historical figure makes you feel like you’ve actually met them and know them! It makes history come alive and makes it so much more personable and relatable.

5 out of 5 stars for sure, and I’d definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys Biblical/Ancient world fiction!

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Note: Kristin reads and reviews both Christian and secular fiction on A Simply Enchanted Life. Out of respect for my readers, I am including a content review. This content review will help you decide whether this book is suitable for you.

Christian or Secular: Christian
ASEL Rating: Mild. Semi-detailed violence that may be upsetting to some readers
Full Content Review:
Profanity: None
Sex & Violence: Non-descriptive sexual encounters. Semi-detailed domestic violence.
Trigger Warning: Some people may be triggered by instances of domestic violence as well as miscarriage.

Judah’s Wife is book #2 in The Silent Years series by Angela Hunt. Other books in the series include Egypt’s Sister (#1) and Jerusalem’s Queen (#3) which is expected to release on November 6th, 2018.



If you read my review of Egypt's Sister, you'd see that I didn't care too much for that book. I was unsure if I would read Judah's daughter but ultimately decided that I have loved other books by this author and that I would give this book a shot. I am so glad that I did!

I have read twenty-five books as of 2/16/18 and Judah's Wife is one of the most moving and compelling books that I have read out of those.

I want to talk about the 4-star rating right fast (which is actually closer to 4.5 but Goodreads doesn't allow half-stars).

When it comes to plot and characters, this book is 100% a five-star book. I was emotionally engaged with the story and there is a certain scene in Judah's Daughter that is perhaps one of the most gripping scenes I've ever read in this genre. Without giving too much away; Leah is completely broken and begs Judah to do to her what she expects that he eventually will. Judah places his life in her hands and proves to her that he will not harm her—not matter what she chooses to do to him. My heart dropped at her response. I was shocked, sad and completely overwhelmed. Judah's response won my respect and a piece of my heart.

So, as I was saying about this 4-star rating. It has absolutely nothing to do with the characters or the story. Although, the ending did leave me so melancholy that I wanted to cry out of frustration. In fact, I did. More on that in a bit...

I had only two issues with this book and they're fairly minor.

In a particular battle scene in this book, Judah and his brothers encounter men on elephants. Judah's brother dives under the legs of the armored elephants and slashes at them. This felt too much like a particular battle scene in Lord of the Rings. It detracted from the story to me in a small way as that is all I could picture. This will not be an issue for readers who have not read the books or watched Lord of the Rings.
Two characters deaths were mentioned in passing. After having been an integral part of the story for me; I wanted to know how they died. I needed closure for their deaths.

This book comes to a melancholy end. If you're looking for a book that has a happy ending then this book is not the one for you. However, if you're looking for a book that features a broken woman who learns to put her trust in God then I would definitely suggest this book. Leah's life is one that many women live. She experiences abuse, love, and loss; realizing that God never promised that life would be easy. But that He would be there for her through all of life's trials.

This book was provided to me by Bethany House Bloggers. I was not required to write a positive review, and have not been compensated for this. All opinions are my own.

This review originally posted on A Simply Enchanted Life

[Alicia Ruggieri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! What a tremendously powerful novel this was - This book is proof that fiction can convey deep truths within story. I came to Judah's Wife not really knowing what to expect. I don't think that I've read anything by Angela Hunt - at least nothing novel-sized - and I nearly passed by this novel when it came up for review, despite the prettiness of the cover, because I thought that the book was going to be about Judah-the-son-of-Jacob-the-Patriach's wife. But the description hooked me when I realized that this was not about the wife of one of Jacob's sons, but about a family who has always fascinated me but whom I haven't spent enough time reading about: the Maccabees!
Yes, this thick novel tells the story of Judah Maccabee - "the Hammerhead" - the liberator and leader of the Army of Israel. It is also the story of his wife Leah, though I felt like the book was more about the two of them than about her exclusively, as the title seemed to imply. (This didn't disappoint me at all - the story felt very balanced as a result.)
When I finished this novel, I felt like my spirit and emotions had gone through an old-fashioned clothes-wringer... It was that intense - everything from LOTR-worthy battle scenes (some of the most detailed, interesting, and vivid that I've found in Christian Fiction) to the marriage difficulties between Judah and Leah to the spiritual agonies and victories of the characters. The intensity was necessary, *so well-done*, and believable.
Perhaps what brought this story head-and-shoulders above much CF that I've read is the stark and very Biblical challenge that the story of Judah and Leah offer the reader. The novel shows the depth of sacrifice sometimes necessary - even the sacrifice of life itself - not only to follow Christ quietly, but to follow Him in bold, uncompromising, humble obedience, even when no one else will do so. Judah demonstrates this over and over again throughout the novel; he becomes a "type of Christ" and a "messiah" to both his wife and the Israelites. Rarely do I come across a male character who deeply impresses me. This Judah is one of them. No wonder Israelites in the time of Christ (150 years later) were still naming their sons after him.
Judah's Wife is an intensely encouraging, inspiring novel with clearly well-done research threading throughout. I recommend it highly to anyone looking for a deep, richly spiritual story.

[Jeanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

They say this movement springs from the great Alexander, who wanted to unite the world into one race and one people. But he failed, as all men will fail if they attempt a task only HaShem can perform. How can a man unite the world when Adonai has set people apart. We are the seed of Abraham, a chosen race and a peculiar people. The world will be blessed through us, but we are commanded to remain separate.

Angela Hunt does not disappoint with this one. I am not familiar with the struggle of the Maccabees. The Silent Years are the years between the Old Testament and the New. In the time of the Maccabees, God has not spoken thru a Prophet in over 300 years. The Maccabees came from the Levite tribe who lead the people of Israel to worship God. During this time in Israel's history, the people drew away from the proper worship of God and worshiped idols. Many Jews placed their trust in other men or themselves. The Maccabees started a revolt to bring the worship back to Jerusalem and the people back to the one true God. I have not read the book of the Maccabee's which this one is based on. In pivotal parts, a quote from the book brings the reader to a point. The author was able quite well to bring history to life in the story of Judah and his wife Leah.

Leah came from an abusive family and all that she has known is violence. She abhors it. It has taken away her innocence and trust. Judah came to her rescue and pursued her to become his wife. Judah's family is a family of community. With Judah's father a strong leader in his own household and the outside community, he sees the evil in Jersalem and moves his family to a safer village. However, forces of evil, the family must take a stand and fight.

This becomes a pivotal point in the marriage of Judah and Leah as she longs for peace. She cannot reconcile the husband she married to the warrior he has become in fighting for HaShem. Leah is constant turmoil with HaShem and her own desire for peace.

Their story is our own story and the turmoil we face in desiring peace but always being in the battle to remain separate. There is a true picture of Judah as Christ and Leah as the church that will ignite a heart towards the true meaning of what salvation really is. I highly recommend this one.

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

[Ella J. · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was so disappointed in this book! After reading "Egypt's Daughter," the first book in The Silent Years series , I was excited to read this one.

There were a several reasons why I did not like this book. The first reason is because is because this book "tells" more than it "shows". Many, many sections of this book are dedicated to describing battles and strategies. I wouldn't have minded this so much if they had been told in present time, with lots of active action. Unfortunately, most of the descriptions of the battles and war strategies were told in the past tense, in great detail. For this reason, this book often felt more like a history textbook than it did a work of fiction (There is nothing wrong with history textbooks,btw. I just think that fiction shouldn't read more like non-fiction).
I'm not trying to bash the author when I say that because so much of the book is spent describing war it is rather boring. I can tell Ms. Hunt spent a lot of time researching and verifying sources. I just wish that she had used that knowledge to "show" what she learned, rather than "telling".

Another aspect of this book I didn't enjoy was the romance. Art the beginning of this book I enjoyed getting to know Leah and Judah. I loved how gentle and supportive Judah was towards Leah. I also loved that Leah began to be happy. Unfortunately, that didn't as long. They ended up spending a majority of the book apart, both physically and emotionally. They do talk it out and reunite evtually. After that though, they didn't have that many scenes together. Instead the author chose to focus on the battles (which I already explained I didn't like).

The last thing I didn't like was the end. Imo, it was anticlimactic and depressing. I wish the author has chosen to end the story at a different time or in a different way.

There is only one thing that was redeemable in this book and that was the spiritual content. Many of the characters, especially Judah, were wonderful role models of faith. They quoted scripture often and prayed before acting. Though several of the characters did make mistakes, they did repent and then obeyed. Leah especially grew in her faith and ended up being a wise and discerning woman by the end of the book.

Because I found this book so disappointing, I'm not sure if I will continue with this series of not.

[Christian Fiction Addiction · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second novel in "The Silent Years" series is every bit as fascinating and absorbing as the first, "Egypt's Sister". Angela Hunt's historical detail will transport you back in time until you will feel like you are walking the streets of Jerusalem at Leah's side, or breathing in the dust raised by the horses hooves of the enemy armies advancing upon Judah and the faithful followers of Adonai. Hunt has crafted some engaging characters in Judah and Leah, and Leah's story of witnessing extreme domestic abuse in her home especially engaged my sympathies. I loved watching God's hand at work in her life and in the love that grew between Judah and Leah, in the midst of pain and fear and uncertain times. I thought Hunt did an excellent job at switching between each of their viewpoints, as this added more complexity to the story.

I always love it when I encounter a historical novel featuring a people group that I've never read about before, and such was the case with this novel and the story of the Maccabees. I was struck especially by the humility of the Israeli people as they humbled themselves before God and truly repented and wept for the evil they had participated in. In looking at my own life and that of the church today, this position of humility is one that is needed today. The weapons we fight with are not physical, but the weapon of prayer and a posture of reliance on God certainly remains the same.

Let yourself be swept into history and into a grand tale that will have your pulse pounding as you are engaged in a story of God's faithful standing up for truth. Grab a copy of "Judah's Wife" - you will be glad you spent time with this well-written novel! I award this book a high rating of 5 out of 5 stars.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.

[Nadine Keels]

Leah never felt safe in the home she grew up in. So when she marries a kind man named Judah, she believes she can finally experience a life of peace. But when Judah is challenged to fight for his people's sacred way of life, Leah's hopes for peace are threatened in Judah's Wife: A Novel of the Maccabees by author Angela Hunt.

I was intrigued by The Silent Years series from the get-go, as I'd never read Biblical Fiction that addresses the four hundred years of (apparent) "silence" between the biblical books of Malachi and Matthew. I liked the first novel in this series, and have either liked or loved every novel I've read by Hunt, so I started anticipating this book way before its publication.

I was quickly drawn into the place, the period, and the setup of dual first-person narrators, which I've seen in other novels by this author. Although I'm sure I would have enjoyed this book at a different time, I only got a fifth of the way through before I decided not to continue. I've heard of the Maccabees and was most interested in reading about their revolt, but I'll admit there are some aspects of Biblical Fiction I find much harder to read now than I used to.

As I recently said about another novel in the genre, my struggle with this book is reflective of a changing reader, not the quality of the story. While this likely means I'll have to take a personal step back from the genre for now, I wouldn’t discourage other ChristFic readers from checking this novel out.
__________
Bethany House provided me with a complimentary copy of this book for an honest review.

[ᗩᑎᗪᖇᗴᗯ · Rating 4 out of 5]

"A safe and sheltered life . . . was a boring life"

I've been interested in learning more about the Maccabees and the origins of the Hanukkah festival, and I feel this book did the job brilliantly.

This is historical fiction telling the story of the Maccabean Revolt, mostly through the eyes of Judah Maccabee (and based on historical record), and also through the eyes of his wife "Leah" (a fictional character, Judah was most probably married but nothing is known of his wife)

I found it well-written and engaging, the characters were likable and the military tactics of the Maccabees were easy to visualise.

Recommended to anyone with interest in the period, and safe for teens (contains romance but no graphic sexual content)

This book is part of "The Silent Years" series which deals with events happening between the Old and New Testaments of the Christian Bible. It is pre-Christian and not at all "preachy", though the characters are people of faith.

"‘Two are better than one,’ wrote Solomon, ‘in that their cooperative efforts yield this advantage: if one of them falls, the other will help his partner up—woe to him who is alone when he falls and has no one to help him up. Again, if two people sleep together, they keep each other warm; but how can one person be warm by himself?’”

[Nay Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't sure if this was going to be a solid 4 or 5 star rating, but I'm going with a 4.25 star rating. I was invested in the characters, I enjoyed the romance, loved the use of scripture and how Hunt included history into the story. This was beautiful. There were times when I felt the story dragged in the middle and the miscommunication and lack of communication with Leah and Judah annoyed me.

Overall, this was such a pleasant read. Leah was a quiet woman with a sassy mouth. She was trained to expect a mans anger from a young age. To her, being beat or yelled at was normal. Kindness was far-fetched for her. Judah was a strong man, but didn't know much about love and communication. I loved seeing their growth both as individuals and as a couple.

The faith aspects were phenomenal for me! This was well written, the first of the series so I definitely plan to go back and read book one, Egypt's Sister: A Novel of Cleopatra, as soon as possible.

[C.E. Hart · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Biblical fiction. Not only does it inspire and entertain me, but it also gives me a strong sense of the customs and practices of those living during ancient times.

Judah’s Wife, by Angela Hunt, is the second book in The Silent Years series. It has such a spiritual feel, and a powerful message. I like the shifting points of view between Leah and Judah, giving me an inside look at each of their hearts and happenings. I sympathized and empathized with them both, but especially bonded with Leah. She endured much and had many of the same fears and doubts I imagine I would’ve had in similar situations.

I enjoyed the relationship between Judah and Leah—I just wish it went a little deeper. I wish there was more internal passion. The relationship was sweet and respectful, but didn’t have as much depth as I’d hoped. With that said, this is still a fascinating story and I look forward to reading more stories in this series.

I learned a lot about the silent years, the Maccabees, and ancient Israelite customs and difficulties. I love a book that makes me see the world or humanity differently.

Cover: Love
Title: Love
Pages: 384
Series: The Silent Years
Publisher: Bethany House
First Line: In those days Mattathias…had five sons, Johanan surnamed Gaddi, Simon called Thassi, Judas called Maccabaeus, Eleazar called Avaran, and Jonathan called Apphus.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing (and NetGalley) and was under no obligation to post a review.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

The time between the Old and New Testament is often called the Silent Years because during that time God did not speak through a prophet to His people. This was the time of the Greeks, the rise of the Romans, the fall of the Egyptians. We might not have a biblical account but we do have historical records of the people, places, and events that were shaping the civilizations to come.

It is in this backdrop that Angela Hunt has written her most recent novels. The second of her Silent Years series is Judah's Wife, a fictional imagining of the life of Judah Maccabaeus.

Leah has grown up with an abusive father and watching her mother wordlessly submit to his beatings has convinced her of one thing: men are bent on violence. She is willing to do anything to escape the only life she has known. So when pious Judah expresses interest in her and offers marriage, she willingly accepts, even though she has met him just a handful of times. She's even more eager when she finds out his father and entire family will be leaving Jerusalem - and her father - for a quiet village where they can worship Adonai as the Torah commands and not fear punishment from the Gentile king determined to wipe out the Jews.

Her marriage starts out happy. She follows what her husband expects and he is gentle and considerate. But peace does not last long. When Greeks come to their village and demand them to sacrifice offerings to Zeus to show loyalty to the King, Judah's father quickly refuses and kills the king's messengers. Suddenly, Leah, Judah, and his family are on the run. The women sleep in caves while the men gather Jewish recruits to form an army for Israel.

As Leah's world is turned from one of finally being safe to facing life as a refugee, she must come face to face with her fears, her past, and whether she can trust the God her husband is fighting for.

I'll confess, before reading this novel I didn't know much about Judah or his struggle for Jewish freedom of religion. I recognized Greek names and knew it was a time of upheaval throughout the known world, with kings conquering, ruling, and killing at will. But the outcome of Judah's many battles, the state of Jerusalem at the time, and the casual approach to religion many Jews had was new to me. Hunt openly admits that this story is not 'sacred' or inspired like the writings of the Bible but the struggles and challenges of these people are no less griping. We have no record of Judah's actual wife but Hunt's version is plausible and gives the story a face of humanity amid the bloodshed and battles.

Hunt gives extensive resources at the end of the book as well as answers several questions about what was real and what was fictional in her novel. I always appreciate the thoroughness she gives her historical and biblical books. This is a story filled with the courage of one family who dared to trust God above men.

I was given a copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of an honest review. The opinions and words are my own and were not influenced in any way.

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've always wanted to know more about the period of history that speaks of the Maccabees. This story takes place during the last 168 years before the birth of Christ. The Jews were constantly getting harrassed or killed by people in the land and even by Jews who were considered to be non-devout jews who were more impressed with the Greeks than their own worship. The wars the Maccabees fought were to liberate the practicing Jewish people and those who kept trying to blaspheme and destroy the Temple in Jerusalem. Fascinating story.