This series is my first introduction to the author, Francine Rivers. After reading the first book I KNEW that I would want to read more books by this author and after reading the second book I decided I MUST look into some of her other series as well. Normally it takes me quite awhile to get “into” a book and this series was no exception. It took me FOREVER to get into the book and a couple of times I decided I didn’t have the time or energy to spend on it. I had a hard time getting past learning all of the characters, figuring out the connections, etc. I was about ready to give up when I read a review of it on Lisa’s Blog and decided to keep going! I’m SO glad I did. Now I can’t put this series down.

One of my “real life” friends, Jill, loaned me the first book in this series, A Voice in the Wind, back in January when we left for vacation. However, I had two other books ahead of it to read on vacation so there it sat on my shelf until I had more time to read this summer. Several of my SHS friends have also read and recommended it over the years, but I probably would not have started the series if Jill hadn’t loaned me the first book. One of my other “real life” friends, Joan, warned me that I better make sure I had access to the 2nd book when I got close to finishing the first one. She was RIGHT! There’s no way you could stop at the first book. I don’t use the library very often, but I looked up the 2nd book and was SO glad our library had it. I picked it up on our way out of town and read it in 2 days! Joan forgot to warn me about getting the 3rd book at the same time so I had to wait awhile before I could get the 3rd book. AH… the suspense! Now that I’ve finished this series maybe I can get back to some blogging!

This is the story of a young Jewish Christian girl named Hadassah whose father, mother, brother, and sister all die in Jerusalem. Hadassah is sold into slavery becoming the servant to a young Roman girl named Julia whom she serves faithfully and lovingly. The family notices something “special” about Hadassah specifically how she cares for Julia meeting her every need without having to be commanded. Aside from the main story line, I also enjoyed this fictional book because I haven’t read much from this time period and it gave me a glimpse into life in the days after Jesus was crucified. I’ll have to remember to read it again when we study the ancients in another year or so. I can’t give away WHY you need to get your hands on the 2nd book before you finish the first one, but you MUST!

I LOVED this book! I already knew most of the characters so there wasn’t any time spent “getting into” this time! I needed to find out what happened to the main characters when the author left us hanging on a cliff at the end of the first book! Makes me wonder if the 2nd book was written before the first one was published. If not, it would have been SO HARD to wait and see what happens to the characters. Fortunately, for me, all three books are already published so I can read one right after the other. This is definitely one of those series you would *NOT* want to read out of order. In this book, you find out what happens to Hadassah and Julia as well as Julia’s family. You’ll see how many lives are touched far and wide by the ripple effect of one young Jewish Christian girl’s life.

This story continues as one of the ripple effects of the above-mentioned young Jewish Christian girl’s life. In the 2nd book Julia met a gladiator and eventually had his baby. Julia demanded Hadassah leave the baby to die, but Hadassah couldn’t do that. She took the baby to one of the Christian men who gave him to a widow. In this story, we find out that after the gladiator, Atretes, won his freedom he went to find Hadassah… right before she was thrown to the lions (where the first book left off). She told him of the baby and how to find him. This book takes you on the journey of Atretes finding his baby and becoming a believer through the widow who cared for his son. This book is like the first two. You simply can NOT put it down!

I HIGHLY recommend this series! These are books that definitely hold your attention. I found myself reading every spare moment I could find… in line at the bank, while frying hamburger for dinner, etc. (LOL). I have a few other books on my shelf waiting to be read, but I’m definitely going to add another of Franice Rivers’ series to my list of MUST READS! Now to figure out which of her books or series to read next!