In Feast or Famine is the second book in the Egyptian Chronicles by Mesu Andrews. In the previous book, Potiphar's Wife, Joseph is sold to traders by his brothers, is falsely accused by Potiphar's wife and is sent to prison. In Feast or Famine, the Biblical story of Joseph continues as Pharaoh brings him out of prison. It is not completely necessary to read the first book, but it does help to know the characters and situations of the past.

When In Feast of Famine begins, Joseph is brought out of prison to interpret the disturbing dreams of Pharaoh. He is made the second-highest ruler of Egypt and commanded to marry the High Priest's daughter. Joseph is distraught because his heart longs for Ahira, a humble shepherdess who is also a slave in Egypt. But one does not refuse Pharaoh.

Asenath has spent most of her life shut away in a tower singing morning songs to the gods. She only has a pet monkey and two women born on the same day as her for companions. She knows she is destined to be married to a mighty Pharaoh and will heal Egypt by becoming a living goddess. So she is dismayed to discover that she is to marry a Hebrew slave.

Asenath's father, On, begins to plot and scheme not only to prevent the marriage, but also to overthrow the current Pharaoh and replace him with a new husband for her. But what if Asenath falls in love with Joseph? What if she decides to oppose her father's plan and instead help her husband? What will happen if she meets the One True God and puts away her idols?

This is a long book that took me many sittings to read. So much happens and it takes a long time to tell the story. It is very well written and very descriptive.

My only criticism would be this: I know that Biblical fiction authors write a story of how it might have happened. But, I found a few things to be a little fantastical. For example, the author makes Pharaoh a little boy around eight-years-old sort of begging for Joseph's help. I'm not sure if that aligns with the Biblical text. Joseph also tells Asenath that he will have no union with her until she gives up her gods. Again, this doesn't seem like something that Joseph in the Bible would do.

Aside from these and a few other examples, I enjoyed the book very much. The characters are well developed, the plot line is exciting, and the reader will want to see how it ends!

This author has the knack of giving emotional depth and richness to the stories she writes. You are not merely along for the ride but actually a part of it all.

In the first book, Potiphar's Wife, I learned compassion for 'her' and got attached to many of the others. This, while definitely a continuing of a remarkable story, also managed to be a solid standalone.

Here, with In Feast or Famine, many of the characters are dealing with unfair treatment beyond their control. Learning to trust God in the midst of everything, and forgive others, is a very applicable lesson for us to take to heart through this story.

I received a copy of the book from Netgalley and chose to review it here. All thoughts are my own.

In Feast or Famine is an immersive work of historical fiction that really captures a lot of your senses when reading, it was easy to picture and imagine the Ancient Egyptian setting in my head with how rich the description was.

I haven't read any Christian based fiction, but I am incredibly passionate about Ancient Egypt (I have a Bachelor of Ancient History, so I'm very well read on the topic) and thought I would give this one a go. I felt very adrift reading it, not realising it was a second book in a series and ultimately, it wasn't for me. I am sure that the reasons I didn't really enjoy this book will be the reason that others adore it, it just felt too biblical.

The descriptions of Egypt were really well done and I am certain this will be a well loved book to many people of its intended audience. This book was a great learning opportunity for me in helping me understand and further narrow my taste in historical fiction.

Thank you to NetGalley and WaterBrook & Multnomah for giving me the opportunity to read this book and provide my own thoughts and opinions in an honest review.

This book was so incredible!! I was drawn in from the first page and stayed hooked the entire time.
Mesu Andrews is my go-to Biblical Fiction author. Her writing is so well done that I always feel like I'm right in the story.
I loved this continuation of the story of Joseph. I highly recommend reading the first book in this series, it makes this book even better.
I can't recommend this book enough, it is so amazing, you won't be sorry.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own *

Joseph is one of my all-time favorites to read about in the OT. Mesu made me fall in love with him even more. Especially, when he told Asenath that no one would take her away from him. He is a book husband.

Mesu’s research always impresses me. The depth she goes into respecting history and telling Elohim’s story is straight beauty. An art many authors don’t have. I love that Asenath has inner battles. It wasn’t just oh my husband believes so must I. No, at first she was like “I am Isis Incarnate” but then she starts to realize she is so much more. She is a beautiful daughter of Elohim who has a bigger plan for her than she realized.

This book was beautiful. I loved the writing. I loved the story. The only thing that I wasn’t the biggest fan of was alternating persons. Anenath’s POV is in the first person, while the other two POVs are in the third.

I love Joseph telling Asenath stories of his family. At times, I forget that Abraham is Joseph’s great-grandfather. Mesu does a fantastic job of telling Joseph’s story to us. I loved being able to experience Joseph and Asenath falling in love and being true to each other even when the odds were stacked against them. I love Asenath’s journey into believing in Elohim as I stated before.

At times, I did not like Potiphera, but then I was like he was just a father wanting what he believes is best for his daughter. He’s not the classic villain. He is human and we get to realize that he is human and it’s not black and white.

I highly recommend this book.

In Feast or Famine is a beautifully raw tale of love and destiny. Joseph and his bride are from two very different worlds yet work together to show Yahweh's grace and mercy to all those around them. This maybe Mesu's finest work yet. The characters are completely relatable: flawed humans in the hands of à perfect God, while living under despicable and oppressive rulers who didn't/don't know our God. In short, this book was epic, and I can't wait to see what Mesu writes next!

I received a complimentary e-book from the publisher through Netgalley and was not required to write a positive review although it was my pleasure to. The thoughts above are my own.

Trigger Warnings: a character was formerly falsely accused of rape, and is found innocent. A character blackmails another repeatedly by threatening to let them be abused.
Brief mention of scantily clad Egyptian dancers, and of women wearing dresses/robes as sheer as butterfly wings. (True to historical record.)

I definitely recommend this book, just not for young readers.

So, unfortunately, I ended up not finishing this one. I only got a few chapters in before I got overwhelmed by all of the confusing names and trying to remember who was who. I was also having a hard time following the detailed political situations though I think it all would have made more sense after a while. I have been very picky about what books I choose to spend my time on lately but I think if maybe that wasn't the case at this particular (very busy) point in my life right now, maybe I would have pushed through and ended up liking the book. I would still recommend it to my fellow biblical fiction lovers out there though since I think that, based on other reviews, it actually is a good book, and Mesu Andrews as an author is known for being a reliable writer. I very well might pick it up again in the future but it just didn't appeal to me right now. I would suggest that others give it a shot :)

I really enjoyed this Biblical fiction.

Written as a novel about Joseph & his wife Asenath. The author did a good job of trying to stay as accurate as possible to the Bible & other historical information.

It is a fascinating story of what it might have been like for them. It was fun to go back in time & get a glimpse into their lives.

Thank you to Netgalley & the publisher. (I was able to preview this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.)

I may not be the most relgious person, ut i grew up in highly catholic household, and it was intresting to have a book about a women who was in the bible. I believe this is a good book for those who want to understand more of the story.

In Feast or Famine
By Mesu Andrew’s
Pub Date May 9
Waterbrook
Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
Biblical fiction
This is book 2 in the series and I think you will enjoy it more if you read the first book in the series.
I loved this book and kudos to Mesu for another great novel.
4 stars

I loved this novel based on the story of Joseph and his wife Aseneth. Although I have read the Bible story many many times, I have not taken the time to think about this Egyptian priestess who was given in marriage to a Hebrew man. This novel really brought her to life, and Joseph as well. I loved the way the author filled in the possible details about her personality and her history. This is a page turner and well worth the time to read. Highly recommended.

This is a continuation of the story started in Potiphar's Wife, focusing on Joseph and his raise to Viziar and life afterwards. The storyline was well told like all other books by Mesu Andrews.
Although the focus is on Joseph's story, other storylines are woven in and out to create a broader, fuller, more complete look at what was going on. I enjoy the fact that even with Joseph's raise to vizier, his life was not necessarily easy. There may have been people that were set against him because he was a forginer, a former slave, a former prisoner. The constant having to prove himself to others and to trust God to guide his footsteps. Another beautiful part of the storyline was his wife's and her transformation into a believer. I love the fact that it shows God will use anyone is willing to believe and follow Him.
I received an ARC copy from NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Expertly researched and will delight fans of Angela Elwell Hunt and Connilyn Cosette. A deep and thoughtful take on the popular story

The Feast or Famine
Another great Christian Historical Fiction by Mesu Andrews!

"The Feast or Famine" is a story about Joseph when he became Vizier of Egypt. Pharaoh of Egypt arranged a marriage to Asenath. Asenath didn't know if she could marry a Hebrew and stop worshiping all the Gods of Egypt.

This story was great and hard to put down. It was easy to be pulled into the storyline. It had likeable characters and the author put a lot of research into the story. In this story you see how God can use the situation to bring everyone closer to him.

I highly recommend this to book to everyone the loves a biblical historical fiction.

I received this complimentary copy for a honest review. All thoughts and opinions are mine and mine alone.

In Feast or Famine by Mesu Andrews

This book is the continuation of Joseph’s story begun in Potiphar’s Wife. It chronicles his rise to power, his marriage to Asenath and his reunitement with his brothers. As usual, Mesu uses her skills as a researcher to recreate the world of ancient Egypt. While her description of its politics and religion were not my favorite parts of the novel, they were key to understanding the elements of the plot
.
I did enjoy how she created realistic characters with motivation that drove the plot. She answered questions I had asked regarding Joseph’s marriage to a priestess mentioned in the Biblical account. I appreciated how her non-Hebrew characters came to trust in Elohim due to the lives of His followers. And as always, she includes redemption and some unforeseen plot twists!

Readers who enjoy Biblical fiction will find much to like in this novel. I am grateful to the publisher for a complimentary copy in return for my unbiased opinion.

So I took most of February to read In Feast or Famine.

I received an ARC from NetGalley for my fair and unbiased opinion.

The names were difficult. Well duh, they were Egyptian. But once I remembered who was who it was an enjoyable read.

Mesu Andrews makes ancient Egyptians come alive. Each of the characters have attributes which make them seem more human and not so Sunday-school perfect. I really appreciated this. For example… when the shift in power occurred early in the novel and a couple was separated, I actually felt
Bad for the couple, even though it had only been a few pages I had known them… She really excels at making the reader care about the characters. So many other writers write plots where the characters are just paper dolls but Mesu does a great job at her characters. Have I said that already?

This leads me to the point in the story where Joseph must face his brothers, we’ve been in Egypt so long with Asenath and Joseph what when he has face them, it feels earned. Great writing.

I don’t give out 5 stars easily but this was an enjoyable read about Ancient Egypt and I hope to visit another of Mesu Andrews’ versions of the ancient world again soon.

This is a review for In Feast and Famine, book 2 in the Egyptian Chronicles series by Mesu Andrews.  I would recommend that you read book 1 Potiphar's Daughter, which was an amazing book, first, and you can see my review for it on my Facebook page as well.  In reading this book, In Feast & Famine, I actually felt transported to the era, and felt as I was watching this story unfold right before my eyes, and very few books have had that effect on me!  The detail in the story was incredible, and you could tell Mesu did her research, and had an immense grasp on that period of history, which made it exciting and so easy to follow.  I fell in love with the returning characters in book 1, and I loved reading the continuation of Joseph, Ahira, Potiphar, and Pushpa's stories, but loved meeting the new characters Asenath, Pharaoh Yanassi , and even the wicked Potiphera.  This story transported me to Egypt during the Biblical times of Joseph, and I thought Mesu Andrews again weaved a beautiful, exciting, and unpredictable book with a true story in the Bible and her amazing storytelling gift.  I really loved this book, give it 5 out of 5 stars, and hope you will read it, as it is an amazing and wonderful story!!

The story begins with the biblical character Joseph, the great grandson of Abraham, the father of the Hebrews, at the end of his prison sentence, and who is eventually let out of prison to fulfill the call on his life that Elohim revealed to him many years ago through two dreams. He ends up becoming second in command to Pharaoh, after being sold into slavery by his own brothers, then wrongly accused by Captain Potiphar & his wife, whom he served faithfully and with great integrity.  But Elohim kept His promise to Joseph by helping him interpret dreams of the baker and wine taster, and then helps him eventually to interpret a dream for Pharaoh himself, which reveals that there will be 7 years of plenty and 7 years of famine. Pharaoh recognizes that God is with Joseph, and so he puts him in charge of preparing all the food supplies for the entire 14 years.

Then we meet Asenath, the priestess, and who has been trained to believe she will one day become Isis incarnate, which is one of Egypt's gods. She has been trained by her father, Potiphera, who is a high priest of the Egyptian god, Ra, and who has a dream of healing Egypt by disposing of those who are not of pure Egyptian blood by marrying her priestess daughter with a pure-blooded Egyptian king.  He schemes and manipulates many, including his own daughter, to accomplish his purposes, but he decides that Joseph, who was given the name Zaphenath-Paneah by Pharaoh Yanassi, is his enemy because Pharaoh gives his daughter Asenath to Joseph, and that ruins all his plans.  So he tries to thwart Joseph at every turn, and causes much damage along the way!

After Joseph interprets Pharoah Yanassi's dreams, and is put in charge, the Pharaoh declares that Joseph will make Asenath his wife, and when Pharaoh speaks, there is no choice in the matter.  Joseph seeks Elohim, because his heart belongs to his long time love, Ahira, who is from his people, and who was also a slave in Egypt.  He planned on marrying her, so he doesn't want to marry Asenath...but God had other plans for Joseph.  Joseph seeks Elohim, and Elohim lets him know that Asenath is the one he has chosen for Joseph.  Asenath is given to Joseph in marriage, but because she has no choice in the matter, and because she is being completely manipulated by her father, she doesn't trust Joseph at first, and Joseph doesn't trust her, but God has a way of changing hearts and you will have to read the story to find out what happens to Joseph and Asenath, and if Potiphera is successful in coming between them, and what happens to Ahira! It's really an amazing story that I didn't want to end!!

So, as I said, I loved this book, and Mesu Andrews continues to be one of my favorite Biblical fiction authors, and I highly highly highly recommend this book!  I couldn't put it down y'all!!

I admit that prior to reading this book I never much of a thought to Asenath. I wondered vaguely what it was like for Joseph to be married to an Egyptian priestess and how he remained faithful to God, but that was about it.

Ms. Andrews crafted a masterful tale filled with intrigue and danger. Not only did she portray the challenges Joseph may have faced as a Hebrew in a high position among people who despised him, but she also gave Asenath a voice.

Readers will be reminded that God loves us, regardless of our nationality and background.

I received an advanced reader's copy from the publisher through NetGalley; a positive review was not required.

To save a country they must work together. To love each other, they must learn to forgive. Asenath, who has been locked in a tower her whole life, is supposed to become Isis Incarnate when she marries a king. In what she considers a cruel twist of fate, she is betrothed to a lowly Hebrew slave who has just been made Vizier of Egypt. After a strange visitation, Asenath is unsure of who she can trust. Will Asenath’s wit and instinct be enough to survive betrayal, court intrigue, and tragedy? Will the pantheon of Egyptian gods or Joseph’s God, who claims to be the one true God, save her and those she loves in the coming famine? Can she let go of all she has ever known and give her heart and herself to Elohim and Joseph? Joseph, recently released from prison is shocked when Pharaoh makes him Vizier after interpreting a dream. As another reward for his interpretation, Pharaoh gives him Asenath as his wife. How can Joseph love a woman he was commanded to marry, when his heart belongs to another? Joseph knows that seven years of plenty and seven years of the worst famine Egypt has ever experienced, are coming. How can he persuade a country to prepare when they consider him an outsider? How can he and his new wife work to save Egypt when they don’t even trust each other? Secrets from long ago come to light, and men hungry for power could tear Asenath and Joseph apart forever. Hope, faith, and the courage to forgive are themes intricately woven through each page. Told from various characters’ perspectives, “In Feast or Famine” is a captivating novel that will stay with readers long after the last page has been read. To watch Asenath grow into the woman that she was called to be, and Joseph into the role that God had given him, was mesmerizing to watch unfold in the pages of this novel. Ms. Andrew’s meticulous research and attention to detail was refreshing and a delight to read. The descriptions of places and characters left me feeling as though I were right there in Egypt drifting down the Nile or climbing sand dunes in the Faiyum. Mesu Andrews is a gifted writer able to bring Biblical characters both known and obscure to life. I cannot wait to read more of Ms. Andrew’s books and hope that there is a book three in the Egyptian Chronicles. I thank NetGalley as well as Waterbrook & Multnomah for the ARC of this book. I am not required to give a positive review. All opinions within this review are my own.

Top marks must go to the author for her creative and imaginative story that is yet based on what appears to be meticulous research. In feast and famine conjures up the sights, sounds and smells of ancient Egypt, and is full of drama and intrigue. Mesu Andrews is so good at portraying villains! This is the second book of hers where I have despised the bad man!

I don't know what it is though - I couldn't quite get myself into the story and did not feel like I could picture the two main characters,

So this is a 3 stars for me. But 5 stars for the creativity!