Iscariot by Tosca Lee

 

Iscariot - Tosca Lee - 5 Stars - A beautiful, thought-provoking biblical fiction about Judas

Tosca Lee's "Iscariot" is such a thought-provoking novel that dives deep into the life and character of Judas Iscariot. We see his life with his family, the tragedy he went through and his life as he walked with Jesus. Tosca Lee truly explores the complexity of human nature, faith and the ultimate act of betrayal. We see Judas who grapples with his loyalty to Jesus but as the reader you find yourself looking at Judas with such sympathy and truly I can see myself in him - I have been a Judas to others in the past and to Jesus. I think that's what Tosca Lee is wanting us to take a step back and think about -- true conviction in many moments throughout this book for ourselves, return to the Gospels in our Bible, return to His living word and humble ourselves because we are not so different than Judas was. As my friend Chrissie said in her review, only two things distinguish me from Judas -- repentance and the blood of Jesus Christ. I am saved by grace through Jesus but have I ever been a Judas? Yes. 

We often think of Judas as a traitor, betrayer, thief etc. This book made me think more about Judas than I ever have before and I truly thank Tosca Lee for taking on such a controversial biblical figure and writing his story. You can see the amount of research she did and I truly appreciated her author's note as well. It makes you think.

The historical and biblical accuracy in this book is also wonderful. I loved seeing the relationship with Jesus and Judas' POV as they walked through the miracles and teachings of Him.

Overall, Iscariot is a compelling and emotionally charged novel that offers a fresh perspective on one of the most infamous figures in history. Readers who appreciate historical and biblical fiction will find this book very thought provoking and a rewarding read. It's a favorite of all time and one of my most prized books now. 

Thank you to the author for sending a copy of this book to read and review - all opinions and thoughts are my own.

Goodreads Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5861744872
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3SdBgWQ
Baker Book House: https://bakerbookhouse.com/products/251316

YouTube:

Wrap Up: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rt-U-nf5HX8 

And Reading Vlog:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Put8LchHLJY&t=

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The Long March Home by Marcus Brotherton and Tosca Lee

 

The Long March Home - Marcus Brotherton and Tosca Lee - 5 Stars - An emotional story of 3 friends, trying to make it home from war in the Bataan Death March. 

The Long March Home by Marcus Brotherton and Tosca Lee will leave you with a renewed appreciation for the young American men who went through the Bataan Death March in the Philippines. Not many people know about what happened to these young men and this story truly brings their stories to life. I know I certainly have a new appreciation for these young men as I didn’t know this part of history either.

In this story, based on true events, we have three best friends, Billy, Hank, and Jimmy. The story is told from Jimmy’s main POV. We see his life leading up to the attack on Pearl Harbor and after as they suffer through the Bataan Death March, a 60-mile death march to prison camps where they are forced to work as prisoners in the worst conditions possible. We see flashbacks of Billy, Hank, and Jimmy with family and with Jimmy’s high school sweetheart, Claire. These scenes were nice, as it broke up the hard chapters. Our characters are so real and the story itself takes you on a heart-wrenching journey where you are hoping these men just make it home from all the hardship they have endured.

I was so moved by this story – completely and utterly compelled by it. I don’t read a lot of World War II Historical Fiction, but this is easily a top 10 book of the year for me as I just felt so enamored with our characters and their journeys. I cried. My heart was broken and restored. We have true brotherhood depicted in this book and I am so thankful to have read it. Thank you to those men who gave the ultimate sacrifice fighting for our country. If you love books surrounding World War II, strong friendships, and high emotional impact, this is for you. Thank you to Baker Publishing, Revell and NetGalley for providing a copy to honestly read and review.

Content warnings: This book has very graphic war battle scenes, prisoner torture, the horrors of war, etc. It does have some “war time drinking” and very minimal language.

Goodreads Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5503853604
Amazon: https://amzn.to/44hWENj
Baker Book House: https://bakerbookhouse.com/products/492110
YouTube Review Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNfiPar0nxE