Apply the Word Study Bible (NKJV)

Apply the Word Study Bible (NKJV) is a easy to use study Bible in the New King James version.  This Bible has the poetry and beauty of the wording of the old style King James but in an easier to understand modern wording.  I liked the way that there is further research and/or instruction of the scripture right there on the same page and rather than simply putting a notation number or letter beside the verse there is topping the application notes a highlighted title along with the scripture that it goes with on the same page.  These further explain culture or what a certain word means in Hebrew, or why they wore what they wore, or why a law was enacted, etc..   Footnotes still appear at the bottom of the page as we are used to.   Timelines are included as useful.    Each book is prefaced with a description of what was happening during the time of the writing as well as what to look for in the book as you read it.  Colorful maps are positioned at the back of the Bible as we are used to but also interspersed within the text there are smaller maps so that the reader is consistently informed of where the action is taking place.  There is also a small concordance in the back of the Bible  though a larger one is still necessary to truly study this Bible as any Bible would require.  This Bible would be a good one to use for any study as well as daily Bible reading.  What I really think this Bible would be a good one for is a read through the Bible cover to cover Bible since it contains references to tell the reader where each book relates to another book in time passage. 
I would recommend this Bible for any person of any reading age.  It is probably written at middle school and above level. 
I received this book from Booksneeze for this review.

Flirtation Walk by Siri Mitchell

Flirtation Walk by Siri Mitchell is the next novel out by this author.  Lucinda Pennyworth has just found out that her father recently died while she was away at boarding school.  She has spent all of her young life traveling the countryside with her father scamming people out of their savings.  She had been told by her father that if all else failed they could always go back to Buttermilk Falls where her dead mother's family came from.  Now Lucinda has found herself on a steamboat doing exactly that.  Lucinda has found herself living with her mother's family, the Hammons and learning a new way of life.  The Hammond family was a God fearing upstanding family living just outside of West Point where Mr. Hammond was a professor of the cadets.  Seth is just one of the cadets but he is the one that Lucinda is most interested in and the one that her uncle has picked to be one of the cadets invited into their home for dinner one evening.  Seth has just found out that when his mother recently died that he could not go help is sister settle up the estate and so she was tricked out of the mother earned by the sale of the farm by a swindler.  Seth wanted so much to go back to help his sister but the Army refused to let him leave.  Seth is top in his class and as such is situated to head out soon to engineer school in Europe.  His friends cook up a plan to get Seth's grades down so that he will be dropped out of this plan and headed out west to join the Calvary and find the swindler and get his sister's money back.  Lucinda and Seth in the meanwhile find each other interesting and are spending every spare moment together until Lucinda finds out that everything about her father being a scammer is even worse that she knew.

I loved reading this book which was no surprise since I have enjoyed reading this author's work in the past.  I would recommend this book for reading for anyone who is interested in the history of this country and just wants a little diversion from just the facts. Also anyone who likes reading historical love stories will love this one. 
I received this book from BethanyHouse for this review.

Miriam by Mesu Andrews

Miriam by Mesu Andrews is the next of the Treasures of the Nile series of novels based on Biblical texts.  This novel starts with the story of how the great Exodus of the Hebrews to the Promised Land began.  Miriam is a respected midwife of the Hebrew slaves who is also well known as a prophet.  Her family has kept the secret that they are related to the now banned and thought to be dead former prince of the Pharaoh's family, Moses.  Miriam's family has respect among the Hebrew slaves as well as the none believing Egyptians because of her talent of being able to reveal dreams of others.  Miriam is proud of her ability to hear El Shaddai's voice in the wind and feel what He is trying to reveal to His people but El Shaddai rarely speaks to her in dreams anymore and He never spoke distinctly but rather she could feel what He wanted the dreamer to know when she interpreted another person's dreams.  She was honest that only sometimes did El Shaddai reveal the dream to her and sometimes she didn't know.  This story focuses on the feelings of Miriam when upon return of Moses to the Hebrew people Miriam lost her ability to prophesy to her people and Moses heard the voice of God in his clear voice and could have a conversation with Him.  Miriam was jealous plain and simple but now was expected to follow the advice of Moses and now God wished to be called by the new name Yahweh.  How does Miriam deal with her new feelings and learn to trust and lean on her little brother, Moses?  How does Miriam help to usher in this new age of freedom for the Promised People of God?

This book has brought to life Miriam and her life in Egypt and her feelings upon the return of her long thought dead brother Moses and her walk into freedom.  Miriam has to face her feelings of jealousy as well as faith in the God who appears to be stepping away her and walking toward her brothers Moses and Aaron.  This book brings to life the Old Testament story of the Exodus beginning.  The author has done thorough research into the cultures of the time in order to fill in the gaps left in the Biblical story.   This book helps the reader to understand the life of a Hebrew slave and the difficulties of freedom.  This book tells of some of the difficulties of not only being a slave but being a female slave in those times.  I loved this book and think it would be good reading for any Christian, Jewish or seeker after the truth of the Bible.  This book enlightens the reader on the way the slaves may have lived in those times in an interesting and thought-provoking way.
This book was provided by WaterBrook Press for this review.