Jerusalem's Queen: A Novel of Salome Alexandra is book three from The Silent Years series. I thought Salome's story was fascinating. I enjoyed the author's ability to transport a reader back in time to Jerusalem. I found this to be intriguing and held my attention throughout.
I give Jerusalem's Queen: A Novel of Salome Alexandra three and a half stars. I would love to go back to read the other from The Silent Years series. I recommend this one.

I received this book from the publisher, but was not required to write a review. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.

I’m conflicted over this novel. On the one hand, as a history-lover, I felt it had a lot going for it. It was well researched, it brought to life a period of history that was hitherto unknown to me, and it gave me a protagonist who was anticipating the promised Messiah. I love fiction that explores how God’s faithful viewed and interpreted Scripture prior to the New Testament period, and have found this “Silent Years” series all the more interesting for dealing with a period of time not covered in Scripture.

And yet, as a story-lover, I found it somewhat dissatisfying. I had a teacher at school who was known for the unsympathetic mantra “Life’s tough, then you die,” and that felt a little too true in Salome’s case. In all fairness, Angela Hunt didn’t have a lot to work with. Salome married a guy thirteen years younger than her who was nothing to write home about (well, maybe he was, but not in a good way!). In fact, with the exception of Salome’s servant Kissa (who is an invention of the author, as far as I can make out), there was virtually no one in Salome’s life who did not cause her grief. Not even her children were an exception, much as she loved them.

Even so, I think I could have endured all of that if there had felt like more of a payoff at the end. Instead, her actual reign as queen is summarised in the short epilogue, so it felt a little like I was cut off right at the moment when I was finally about to share in her achievements. And just when it seemed like she might find some personal joy in her life, she denied herself for reasons I didn’t totally understand—apart from the fact that it would have been altering history to have it happen.

So I guess my recommendation is to consider what you’re looking for when you pick this book up. If it’s a close-up of this period of history, go for it. As a story, however, you may find it less satisfying.

In the Christian Bible, one turns the page after Malachi and finds Matthew as if only a few days fell between the activities of the prophet and the arrival of Jesus Christ. In reality, however, four hundred "silent years" lie between the Old Testament and New, a time when God did not speak to Israel through His prophets. Yet despite the prophets' silence, God continued to work in His people, other nations, and the supernatural realm. He led Israel through a time of testing and developed a sense of hope and yearning for the promised Messiah.

Such a rich historical account of Jerusalem's Queen, Salome Alexandra. I knew nothing of her but in the end of my reading and the help of Angela Hunt, I felt a strong connection. Not that I am anything like this strong righteous woman but I desire what she had. Hunt takes actual accounts and weaves a compelling story of Salome and what drove her. God's glory and integrity.

With the death of her sister and father, Salome and her mother find redemption in her father's brother. Salome's mother grieves deeply for the loss of her other daughter and the expense of Salome. Theirs is a troubling relationship, that only brings pain to Salome but a resolve to know her God.

Hunt takes two women's point of view from very different backgrounds. One a believer and one a slave. I found it interesting and compelling that young slave woman Kissa that was given to Salome when she entered her uncles home who became her best friend and confidant. It is the relationship one a slave and one free that gives the plot contrast but also shows the gospel that we are slaved to sin and the affect of sin no matter what are status.

With the help of Salome's uncle and his confidence in her ability, she becomes betrothed to her uncle's youngest son. It is this relationship and her study of the scriptures where the reader is given a deeper understanding of the anticipation of Jesus and what is arrival means for Israel. Freedom and redemption. It is for us as well. Totally loved this one.

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

"Jerusalem Queen" by Angela Hunt is a Biblical fiction book. Salome Alexander is from a small village called Modein. Her Father and sister are killed in the beginning of the book. After their losses, a relative John Hyranus invites Salome and her mother to live with him in Jerusalem. She is given a slave to care for her but in reality they become good friends. John hired a tutor to teach her various subjects. He wanted her to be well informed. He eventually had her married to a boy who was half her age. Through all the ups and downs of life Salome stayed faithful to God Hashem. She knew she could be different have high standards and change the world. The book gives the reader insights of what life was like during Bible times. How does Salome uphold her values with pagan standards all around her? I appreciate the publisher sharing this book with me for an honest review. I also appreciate netgalley for giving me a copy of this book. It is well written and very insightful.

An Unconventional Christmas Story

Before reading this book, I had never heard of Salome Alexandra and was grateful for my Kindle and its search features, Wikipedia aiding me in my historical deficiencies. Not that the book is lacking in information, it’s teeming with detailed facts and a rich tapestry of images that place you in this early civilization. Growing up hearing the popular Bible stories, it’s always intriguing to learn about the integral characters that didn’t quite make the canon.

Anyone who thinks that females took a backseat role in the B.C. era should read this book. Salome was a dynamic force, learned in the Torah, fierce in her convictions but gracious and respectful. She nobly endured an arranged marriage to a cousin much younger than herself, a bloodthirsty man who entertained countless concubines until the day of his death. Upon his demise, she assumed the role of leader and attempted to repair a nation torn to shreds and prepare her sons for their eventual inheritance.

With her faithful slave by her side, whom she later freed, Salome survives starvation in the desert, escapes persecution from her in-laws, and despite these many trials, is fiercely loyal to God and the laws of the Torah. She challenges her rabbis and studies the scriptures in anticipation of the coming Messiah.

The prophecies that proclaim the coming of Jesus are a main theme throughout the book which makes this the perfect book for the holiday season, since the time of Salome’s death was estimated to be only one generation removed from the birth of Christ.

While this is historical fiction, a believable saga has been created outside the bare bones the annals have provided, ensuring a pleasurable read that is comprised of faith, hope, and facts.

This is the first Angela Hunt novel I have read and I must say I am very impressed.
I have never heard of this Queen before. I love how the author has brought her to life.
I loved how the author portrayed Salome.
Salome in my book is a strong, courageous, and selfless queen.
It's a shame how her mother treates her. Kind of reminds me of my husband's family the way him mom treats him. She's put all of her lock, stock and barrel into the youngest son and look where that got her. Makes me sad. In a way, I'm glad I had only the one son even though I would've loved all my children the same.
I wanted to smack Shipporah just because of that.
There were places in the book that I thought the author concentrated on too long but otherwise I thought it was a fantastic book and I even learned some new things through the author's little research descriptions at the end of the book.
I did skip over the battle parts because I thought they were a little gory.
I strongly recommend this book to ppl who want to learn something new and who wants to follow the Messiah and yes He is mentioned in this story as well. I was happy to read about it!!!
I received a complimentary copy from Netgalley and in no way received no compensations. All opinions are my own

Beautiful enriching story. So much more than what you can find in Wikipedia! A very well written story of Salome Alexandria, based more on the writing of Josephus. The characters come to life and illuminate a time a generation before our Messiah. It helps so much to envision this part of the old testament and history. Told in first person through the eyes if Salome and her servant who came from Egypt. Salome doesn't think she is good enough compared to her sister, but God knows she will change lives and be remembered throughout time. Excellent teaching of the Jewish civilization.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the Bethany House - Netgalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

I have always enjoyed books by Angela Hunt and this is no exception. She did a wonderful job of portraying this queen. This is a fictionalized version of history.

I asked to read and review this book through Netgalley and was given an advanced reader's ebook to do so. Even though it was not fully edited, There were so few errors, I'm not even sure there were any at all. It was very well done.

The story was well researched and the characters were totally believable. The story flowed well and left me wanting more but not feeling like it was ended too soon.

I recommend this book and give it 5 stars out of 5. If you like clean, Biblical, Christian books you will enjoy this.

I really enjoyed this book. Yet again Angela has taken us on a journey expanding on the bible and bringing to life the reality of what it was like to live in those times.

As the silent years continue, an unlikely leader emerges to guide the Jewish nation.

Salome Alexandra has spent all of her six years of life in the small town of Modein. But when her father and sister are killed in an accident, she and her mother’s lives are on the brink of change. A distant relative from Jerusalem has come to claim them to live in his house. He is the son of the high priest and they will have a good life. As the time draws near for them to come to Jerusalem, the high priest and two of his sons are murdered and the relative that claimed them has now become high priest. When they arrive in Jerusalem, Salome begins to get educated and is given a personal attendant. These two women, slave and free, begin to realize they are merely pawns in a man’s game and neither are truly free. But God works in mysterious ways and Salome was always told that she had a purpose in life for which God had set her aside.

I think my favorite part of reading historical fiction by Angela Hunt is that she picks characters that I know nothing about and gives me a history lesson. She makes me go research the characters so that I can compare sources I can find against her work and I love it. I love the research she does to make these past figures come back to life and I love the research she makes me to do learn more about it. This book was no exception. I had not heard of Salome Alexandra before, but I know about her now. Told between viewpoints of Salome and her attendant Kissa, this story unfolds tragedy, growth, forgiveness, and purpose.

I recommend this book to historical fiction lovers, biblical fiction lovers, and people who enjoy Hunt’s work!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

I'll admit I was nervous about this book as I have never read any of Angela Hunt's novels but I am so glad that I not only started this book but continued on and finished it. Not that finishing it was hard because shortly after I started I could not put this book down. What a delight to read this novel! The scenery was painted so vividly and the character development was strong that I felt like I knew them. This book is one of those rare gems that when you finish it you wish you hadn't because you start to miss the people inside the book. If you are looking for a fast paced Christian historical fiction novel this one is for you!

Angela Hunt's books never fail to captivate and Jerusalem's Queen was no exception. She wove an intriguing tale of royalty and Israel's history that held my interest from start to finish. However, as with most of her books, I didn't connect with any of the characters which was a major let-down for me. However, other fans of Biblical fiction might well love this book - it just wasn't my favorite.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Jerusalem's Queen
By Angela Hunt
This book follows Salome Alexandra through her life in Hasmonean dynasty Israel from Salome’s poor and broken childhood to becoming queen of Jerusalem. During Salome’s life, she had to use discernment to judge what she believed. I have so many Bibles and biblical resources telling me about my faith. Salome, however, was required to find her faith in a whole different manner. Hunt tells the story of Salome falling in love with God so well. I really enjoyed this read and would recommend checking this book out.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This entire series has been an enjoyable read and learning about this time period I admittedly know very little about was interesting. The story coming from the very different perspectives of Salome Alexandria and her Egyptian handmaid Kissa allowed for a more well rounded view of the events of this Queen's life. I would call this a slow burn as the majority of the story is spent during Salome's younger years in the house of her uncle John Hyrcanus, an interesting man himself. Hunt did a wonderful job researching this story and that really shines through. I'm so glad that the author and publisher decided there was one more story that needed to be told in this series and will be looking forward to reading about life in the court of King Herod! I would recommend this entire series for those looking for a good Biblical fiction read.

*I received a copy of this book from netgalley. I was not required to leave a positive review. These opinions are my own.

Angela Hunt never fails to deliver a well-written, well-researched piece of work that makes you feel like you are IN the story. This book was no different. One thing that I love about historical fiction (and particularly biblical historical fiction) is that it brings that time-frame to life for me and allows me to learn more about a time and culture in a way that is also entertaining. I've really enjoyed this series so far, that takes place in the "silent years" between the old and new testaments. Though this is book 3 is the series, you really don't need to read the other 2 first. The first 2 books actually did not connect at all, and this book referenced both of them... however, the references were detailed enough that you still get the gist without the prior history.

In this book, we follow the life of Salome Alexandra, who lived in Judea during these silent years. She was actually born in Modein, where the Maccabees had lived, but moved to Jerusalem while she was young. It was there that her thirst for learning was recognized and appreciated, and she grew up under the guardianship of the high priest. Since the exile, Judea had not had a king and so the high priest served a dual role. I loved Salome's way of analyzing the politics and religious practices from up close and how it trained her to eventually be queen. This book is a fictional account of her life - how she came to be in a position of power 1 generation before Christ was born, and how she managed to be a righteous leader in a time when there was bloodshed and chaos. While this is fiction, a lot of the story is rooted in fact, and I love that Ms. Hunt offers up what pieces are factual and which ones are fictional in her author's note at the end. Suffice it to say that in spite of the leaders before her and after, Salome Alexandra was known as a righteous ruler in Judea and her time in leadership was described as "Judea's Golden Age". As a student of the scripture who has not read the aprocryphal books or other materials from this time-frame, I found this story utterly fascinating.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my ecopy of this book. I was not under any obligation to write a review and the opinions contained herein are my own.

Jerusalem's Queen
This is the third book in The Silent Years series. I am loving and learning so much from these books! This one is about Salome, who I had never heard of. There is lots of palace intrigue which I love. Salome was a great character. I loved how wise she was, and she had such a heart for her people. This is also a story about friendship. Salome's servant plays a big part in her life. It's also romance free which was nice.

I received this book from Netgalley for the purpose of review.

What an inspiring read! While i have not heard this part in history before I was vastly amazed and want to research this some more. It showed me how highly underrated this woman can be and through God found the courage she needed! She was such a strong woman!

I was really drawn into this book. Having not heard of Salome Alexandra before, made this even more interesting. She was a strong biblical era woman that is unrated to be sure, and it's a shame more people don't know about her. It shows how Salome discovers and grows in her faith in God, it is very inspiring. Though this is a work of fiction, it is very well researched and well written. It you love Biblical era - type books, this is a must read.

Another amazing, rich historical read from Angela Hunt. I enjoyed delving deeper into history with this delightful story. I recommend the whole series.

Angela Hunt is one of my ALL TIME favorite authors. I have read every single novel she has ever released, and will continue to do so. When I saw that "Jerusalem's Queen" was up for review, I about died of happiness. I also devoured the book in two days flat. What an incredible, amazing and inspiring story! I love a book with a strong heroine, and Queen Salome Alexandria was the strongest of the strong. She was behind-the-scenes for many years, but made her name known among her people due to her unwillingness to waver from the Law of Moses and her devout love towards HaShem. The best part was that Salome is an historical person; I had so much fun researching her life after completing this book. A definite recommend!