This is the third book I've read by Mesu Andrews and I thought it was fantastic! The way she weaves history, fiction, and a compelling narrative that keeps you wanting to turn the pages is inspiring. The character list at the beginning was especially helpful because I got confused at times over who was who. Reminded me of a play, actually, with the list! The themes are so relevant and very relatable; that's probably why it took me a while to read it so I could process the emotions I felt with some of the scenes (which I will not spoil here).

The characters are raw, complex, and very human. You will, at times, wonder about their choices. But, that will keep you intrigued. You will adore Daniel, relate to Belili, and feel other mixed emotions with the many other characters that inhabit this story. Some of the minor characters will surprise and delight you, and probably frustrate you. But they serve a greater purpose in revealing the flaws and strengths of our main characters. I think they also help us better understand how our journeys lead us to a greater faith in God. There are obstacles along the way such as fear, but with faith, forgiveness, and truth we can carry on and find our way to him or back to him.

Mesu Andrews has done it again, folks! Get ready for another exciting read!

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thoughts and opinions on the book and author are entirely my own.

Mesu Andrew's Of Fire and Lions tells the story of Daniel. It is told from the POV of Daniel and Belili. While the Bible tells us that Daniel maintained a strong walk when faced with persecution, many Hebrews in captivity struggled to maintain a close relationship with God. Ms. Andrew's chooses to give Daniel a wife and family. In Belili, the author gives us a heroine that has learned to be strong and courageous in order to survive. The story spans the full seventy years of Hebrew captivity. Through Belili's journey of faith, the author describes the hardships many Hebrews endured in captivity and the difficult decisions they made in order to survive. The author deftly describes life in Babylon at the time, filled with political intrigue of the court and the various rulers Daniel served under. While the retellings of the escape of Shadrach,Meshach and Abednego from the furnace and Daniel from the lion's pit were fabulous, I was most touched by the retelling of Nebechadnezzar's transformation.

Mesu Andrew's continues to write biblical fiction in a way that maintains the integrity of the biblical foundation, expertly utilizing historical research and weaving these all together in a hauntingly beautiful story of the Hebrews in captivity. Her writings challenge me as the reader to visit these stories in the Bible, reading them with a new perspective. Not a perspective that diminishes God's Word, but one that challenges the reader to wonder how they would respond if placed in a similar fate.

A few of my favorite quotes:
" In that moment, I knew my greatest failures as a mother hadn't been protecting my children too fiercely or even holding back secrets. My most dire mistake had been neglecting to trust Yahweh's power and sufficiency in both their lives and my own."

"Because uttering meaningless words to a false god shriveled my soul."

"No fear of physical or emotional pain could compare to an everlasting separation from the One who always showed me mercy."

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book from the author/publisher. I was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Mesu Andrews is one of my favorite authors when it comes to biblical fiction. I had no idea what the author had in store for "Of Fire and Lions" except that the cover was absolutely stunning and that it would be based on the book of Daniel. Now, if you've grown up in the church then you're probably very familiar with this guy. That's what I love the most about this story. Mrs. Andrews brings to life the stories that happened thousands of years ago and brings it into an entirely new light.

One particular theme throughout the story is the constant challenge of staying true to God and having an abiding faith even in the face of death. Like Belili, I constantly found myself questioning myself if my faith were as strong as Daniel's. While today's circumstances are quite different and no one is being thrown into fiery pits or fed to the lions here in America, I still found myself questioning myself if I would respond the same way if I were thrown into a similar situation. I hope my answer would be yes, but it was thought-provoking.

Other themes found throughout the book contain devotion, reconciliation, forgiveness, and how amazing God is. You'll also probably find yourself opening your Bible to read the book of Daniel for yourself. That's one of my favorite parts when it comes to Mesu Andrews' books.

This will definitely be a book that you will not want to miss out on. Seriously. Go do yourself a favor and pre-order yourself a copy.

Highly recommended!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher for my honest review, which I have given. I was not required to write a positive review and have not been compensated for it in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.

This is the second book written by Mesu Andrews that I have read. I was not disappointed.

It is a fictionalization of the life of Daniel. The story does not stray from the Bible, but it does add to it and makes it into a very interesting story. Of course, it is a Christian book, but it is not preachy at all. It shows God's love and supremacy in all things.

The main characters were very well developed while the supporting characters were well defined. The story flowed well and kept my interest all the way through.

The book was requested and given through Netgalley. It was an unedited proof. With that being said, the editing was very well done. Very little to improve.

I give this a 5-star rating. The review is my own, freely given.

Author Mesu Andrews’ research is meticulous. She has a talent for growing the reader’s curiosity to search the Scriptures for themselves. Stories I heard as a child about Daniel in the lion’s den and three men in a fiery furnace come to life with descriptive words that exceed my imagination. I think the cover is amazing as well as being relevant to the story. It’s this attention to detail that makes Author Mesu Andrews’ books some of my favorites. You won’t want to miss this endearing story of the children of Israel as exiles in Babylon and how God meets their needs.
I was given an Advanced Reader Copy by the publisher. The opinions are my own.

Of Fire and Lions by Mesu Andrews is a re-telling of the Biblical story of Daniel. From the capture of Jewish prisoners sent to Babylon to the return of the remnant to Jerusalem this story takes you on a ride you will never forget. Daniel and his young friends are sent to Babylon where they are trained to serve in the king’s court. I’m not one who usually reads Biblical fiction, but I thought I’d try this one. Ms. Andrews did not disappoint! I loved the way she brought the story to life. Giving Daniel and the Hebrew Children a family life seemed to make them more human and not just stories that you’ve heard from childhood. Her view of the story had me thinking about things I’d never even stopped to consider. Abigail’s struggles throughout the story were a reminder that God is always near waiting for us to be still and listen and He’ll always take care of us. I will definitely be looking for more books by this very talented author.



I received this book from the author in exchange for my honest review.

This was such an amazing work of Biblical historical fiction - I would give it more stars if I could! I've always enjoyed books by Mesu Andrews, but she has outdone herself with "Of Fire and Lions". This book chronicles the life of Daniel (the one who has a book of the Bible named after him). While holding to the truth of the scriptures, Ms. Andrews expounds on them with rich history and culture that really bring the story to life. We all know the story of Daniel and the Lions Den.... but to see the events that led up to that and speculatively, what happened afterwards was riveting. I learned a lot that I hadn't gleaned from Bible studies and Sunday School classes based on the depth of the author's research.

This book begins at the first exile of Judah when the bright young men (including Daniel and his 3 friends) were recruited by King Nebuchadnezzar to learn in the Babylon courts. The author speculates that Daniel and his friends had to be old enough to be teachable, but young enough to still be molded. She places Daniel at age 12 when he is exiled to Babylon. It was fascinating to see that process as well as the timeline. It was several years after Daniel and his friends came to Babylon that the fiery furnace came into play. Several years after that, the king was turned into a beast for 7 years until he proclaimed that Yahweh was the Most High God. It was many years after that, that Daniel was cast in the lion's den. Because Daniel is such a short book in the Bible, we think all of this happens within a few years (or at least I did), but based on the reigns of the kings, the years become more evident. And if Daniel was indeed 12 when he was exiled to Babylon, he was 80 years old when he was thrown into a den of lions. This was absolutely flabbergasting to me. (Those flannel graph boards always showed a young, strapping Daniel with the lions). I loved seeing speculation of how life was for Daniel in Babylon in between those times and how those major events came to be and led into each other. Overall, this was a great historical piece that brought depth and more meaning to a familiar passage of scripture.

In addition to being historically fascinating and bringing to life the Bible, this book was also very spiritually deep. A majority of the book is from the perspective of Daniel's wife. While scriptures don't indicate if Daniel was married, Ms. Andrews took that liberty for the sake of the story (and because it was probable). The spiritual growth that Abigail/Belili goes through, throughout the book, is phenomenal. In the early stages, she relied on Daniel's faith, but as the book developed, her faith became her own. It was a beautiful story of trusting in God - even when you don't see a way out. There were also strong themes of love, grace and forgiveness. It was a solid reminder that while we live in our smaller stories and can't always see how they will play out, God is conducting the larger Story, where all things work together for good.

If you enjoy good historical fiction and you enjoy reading a story that makes Scripture come fully alive, I can't recommend this book enough. Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book. I was not obligated to write a review and the opinions contained herein are my own.

I was interested in reading this book, as Daniel's home life is not mentioned anywhere in the Bible. The author takes a lot of liberties with the story of Daniel, but I suppose it could have happened. The plot line is complicated, with many characters, but the writing style is simple and easy to follow.

The story beings with young Abigail being taken hostage to Babylon. Along the way her name is changed to Belili and she becomes handmaiden to a teenage boy named Daniel. Circumstances separate them for many years, and Belili and Daniel marry other partners. When both their spouses die, they come to realize they have loved each other the whole time they were apart. They marry and have four daughters. Mixed within the fictional story, the author weaves in the Biblical story of Daniel. The lion's den, three men in the fiery furnace, and Daniel's dreams and prophecies.

Overall, I thought the book a good read. It has a good plot, good characters and the description is top notch. I think this is a very hard topic to write about, but the author has done a good job of staying true to Bible text and writing an enjoyable story.

I am a big fan of Mesu Andrew's Biblical fiction and very much enjoyed her newest, Of Fire and Lions. Mesu has a gift to make Bible characters come to life and leap off the page, and she certainly hit it out of the park with Daniel! I loved learning more about Daniel and the time period in which he lived. The background and history of what was going on in the Middle East politically, socially, economically, historically, was fascinating and really contributed to the story.

The reader needs to understand that this is fiction. Yes, it is based on what the Bible tells us about Daniel, but Mesu has also taken liberties to tell a full, rich story of his life. As anyone who has ever read the Bible knows, we often only get a few details about a characters life (and often yearn for more). Ms. Andrews gives us just what we are looking for.

If you are interested in Old Testament history, Daniel in the lion's den, or just enjoy good historical fiction, you'll surely like this book!

I received an Advanced Reading Copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Ever since I read Mesu Andrews book, “In The Shadow of Jezebel,” I fell in love with the author’s ability to make me think about Biblical stories in new ways. Ways that make me realize that God intended a godly life to be practical and filled with blessings...sounds boring, right? Well, not when Mesu Andrews picks up her pen! And man, oh man, did Mesu pull out all the stops when she wrote Daniel’s story in, “Of Fire And Lions.”

When you think of Daniel, you’ll probably remember that he was taken from Israel at a young age, advanced to become one of the chief leaders in Babylon and was thrown into the den of lions because of his prayer life. If you’ve read about his life further, you may even know that it’s commonly accepted that Daniel remained single. But, what if there was evidence that he could have married and had a family? This novel explores those possibilities in an unforgettable fictional retelling of might have happened to Daniel and ...Bellili.

“Of Fire And Lions” covers Daniel’s entire life; it starts from the time he’s a boy being taken from Jerusalem up to the first remnant of Jews being sent back to Israel under the reign of Darius. During this time frame, you see both Daniel’s life and the fictional life of Bellili, a Hebrew girl with a Babylonian name that Andrews created to be Daniel’s wife, from beginning to then. I really enjoyed seeing these two grow up and how captivity affected their faith in Yahweh. One of my favorite parts was in the first few chapters, where we see them go from the Holy City of God to Babylon, the city where “Etemenanki” was built. (Etemenaki was the name for the Tower of Babel that they rebuilt.) But, if you’re thinking this story will be a sweet romance between a Hebrew girl and a Hebrew boy who both love God, you’re mistaken. This novel sets a whole new standard to the term “unpredictable” in fiction. The plot twists? I never saw them coming! (And I mean, never!) But it was those plot twists that once again, set my mind to thinking about how unpredictable life is. Not just in fiction, but in real life as well. Bellili had to go through many things, things she didn’t understand. And just like real life, she had to trust God to work all things together for good. Together, those plot twists transformed this story into an epic novel.

Conclusion: I loved “Of Fire and Lions!” Not only do you get to travel from Jerusalem to Babylon, but also through 70 years of Israel’s Babylonian exile, rulers and some of Scriptures most often quoted stories. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the fiery furnace, Nebuchadnezzar’s seven years of insanity and Daniel’s own persecution in the lion's den...you get to see it all. But, “Of Fire And Lions” isn’t just another Biblical Fiction novel, it’s an epic tale of redemption, forgiveness and God’s goodness set in turbulent times of Israel’s history. I highly recommend this new book by Mesu Andrews!

This novel is SO. GOOD.

One of my absolute favorite Old Testament heroes is Daniel. I love his story, his faith, his unshakable belief in our God. But not once have I read a novel from the perspective of his wife. Of Fire and Lions gave me the immense gift of meeting Daniel's wife, as well as getting to know Daniel from a different point of view. The plot was incredible, fast-paced and impossible to walk away from. I loved every page.

Of Fire and Lions

This is a beautiful look at the life of Daniel through his eyes and a fellow captive Abigail, led into Babylonian captivity along side him. It is true to the Biblical narrative, but tells a lovely story of real people who struggle with daily life while God does big things around them. Despite the work of God around and through Daniel, he is not portrayed as larger than life. He is portrayed as a man of deep faith that is hard won. The same is true for Abigail. God is the hero of this story.
Like all of Mesu Andrews’s books, this is definitely worth a read. I had an advance reader copy of the book.

This is the first book I've read of Mesu Andrews but it won't be the last. She has taken the story of Daniel and the lions den and wrote a wonderful christian fiction book. You can feel all of the emotions of the story and it feels like you are there. I highly recommend this book to everyone. Thank you WaterBrook via NetGalley for the ARC copy of this awesome book. This is my honest opinion of this book

Mesu Andrews writes Biblical fiction in a way that completely draws me into her stories like few other authors. I have thoroughly enjoyed all her books, but Of Fire and Lions is my new favorite!
This beautifully told story follows a Hebrew girl, Abigail, who is captured in the fall of Jerusalem in 605 BC and made a servant to four young princes who were also taken in the siege. It becomes her charge to ensure the princes, who include Daniel, arrive in Babylon healthy and unharmed. During their journey, Abigail becomes close to the young princes, and all five vow to return to Jerusalem at the end of Jeremiah’s prophesied 70 years. Once they arrive in Babylon, however, Abigail becomes separated from the princes, and her life takes a drastic turn. Renamed Belili, she does things of which she would never have thought herself capable in order to survive and feels unworthy of Yahweh’s love.
Meanwhile, Daniel’s life takes a very different path. Gifted from God with the ability to interpret dreams and understand prophecy, he is appointed to use his talents to serve Babylon’s royalty. Even so, Daniel remains wholeheartedly devoted to Yahweh.
The lives of Abigail and Daniel rejoin in an elegantly woven tale of abiding faith, steadfast devotion, reconciliation, and forgiveness that underscores the glory of our amazing God. I won’t spoil it by sharing more, but I highly recommend this inspirational book and feel certain that if you like Biblical fiction, this will become a new favorite.
I received an advance copy free, but the opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Mesu does not disappoint with this book. I loved it! It’s obvious she did a tremendous amount of research while preparing to write this book. I learned so much about Daniel’s life and that time period in general. While this is biblical fiction with the foundation pulled from the Bible and other historical writings, it’s not hard to imagine that this is the way Daniel’s life played out.

Anyone else an Adventures in Odyssey fan? I always used to think taking a ride in the Imagination Station would be really cool. Well, you don’t need a trip to Whit’s end in order to find yourself caught up in the adventure and action found in bible stories. All you need is a Mesu Andrews book! The fiery furnace and the lion’s den are two stories we’ve all grown up hearing in church school and family worship. Mesu makes those stories come alive thousands of years later in this book.

Mesu Andrews’ novels are always a delight to read. Her storylines are mesmerizing and she is able to bring Bibilcal characters to life in a unique way. The research that she does for her books is meticulous. I’ve come to look forward to the “Author’s Notes” at the end of each book as she explains how her research affects her portrayal of the characters in each story. Mrs. Andrews exceeded my high expectations about this book based on the events in the book of Daniel. Her love for the Truth found in Scripture shines brightly all the way through this creative retelling of Daniel’s story.

After reading this book, I felt as if I had experienced the joys, hardships, and wonder of that time period for the exiled Jews. I also came away with a better understanding of the timeline of events in Daniel’s life. The integrity and faith of Daniel is the shining light all throughout this book. The author chose to give Daniel a wife, Abigail, and it’s through her story that we see the emptiness, evil, and on-going intrigue of living in the splendor of Babylon. As Abigail struggles to survive in such a wicked culture, she finds that faith in the true God of Israel is the most precious treasure of all.

This would be a great book for a Reading Circle or book club. There are some very good discussion questions included in the book.

Reading again of Daniel’s faith has strengthened my own and challenged me again to rely closely on God to guide me through our own modern day culture which resembles Babylon in so many ways.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Without a doubt, this book is Mesu Andrews at her best. She breathes history, background, drama, and life into Biblical stories we all too easily take for granted. We feel the fears and hopes of the people who lived these events and walk away with a better understanding of the God who saved men from the fire and shut the mouths of lions. This is not a book to be missed!

Although this book was a little difficult to get into, there are so many different names and locations that I find difficult to understand and remember, once I got into it, I loved it.

This book was amazing and addicting. Mesu Andrews has a way of bringing Biblical people to life and drawing me into their lives and struggles. Reading the Bible, I find it difficult to understand the depth of most of the people, but I find that depth in these stories.

Reading this book helped me to understand what life was probably like for these people, and after reading this story, I found it easier to remember the important aspects of the Book of Daniel in the Bible. I was constantly drawn back to the Bible, to compare and contrast the stories, and to reread with a deeper understanding of the time period and struggles they endured.

 Recommendation: I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Biblical Fiction, and if you haven’t attempted them yet, give this one a chance. Take your time getting into the story, before long, it will engulf you and you will feel like you are right there with them!



*I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher. A positive review was not required. All opinions are my own.*

I am not always a huge fan on biblical fiction but Mesu Andrews never disappoints with her literary offerings. This was the story based on Daniel. It was incredibly well written with such an eye for detail. I loved that Mesu took the historical facts of the story of Daniel and weaved fiction within that story. It was a great read and incredibly highly recommended.