Petra: City in Stone...Review

About the book:
She believed the city hidden in rock would protect her from the past—until it threatened to destroy her future.

Cassia, a destitute young woman in need of hope, seeks refuge for her little boy in Petra, home of his dead father’s estranged family and capital of the flourishing Arabian empire. Surely this rock-carved city, hidden away between towering sandstone cliffs, can protect them from their past and provide for their future.

But the boy’s father was not the man she believed, and when a murderous queen plots to take Cassia’s son, her hopes of security are ripped away. As the plot against the young Alexander unfolds, Cassia finds unexpected allies in the mysterious followers of The Way, who sacrifice everything to help Cassia rescue her son from the queen and her pagan gods. But it will take more than these new friends to save her son.

It will take a power beyond any Cassia has known—and a faith that can save a city.

I absolutely devoured this book.  A beautifully vivid story of the early Christians in Petra and Rome.  When Cassia arrives in Petra, she is shocked to learn that her son is heir to the throne.  The ailing king's wife is an evil woman and an ardent follower of Dushuna (Zeus).  Jealous, she will let nothing keep her own son from inheriting the throne of Petra.

Julian has escaped persecution in Rome and fled to Petra, hoping to distance himself from his calling to lead God's church.  As his life merges with the Christians in Rome he realizes that God's will can't be avoided.  And as he falls for Cassia, he realizes that his future is intertwined with hers. 

When Alexander is taken from her and kept in the palace, Cassia discovers mysterious Christians, followers of Jesus who promise to help her rescue her son.  As Cassia learns about friendship, she also learns about faith and that nothing can stop the power of God in the battle for good and evil.

Petra is a place that has always fascinated me and one I would love to visit.  Tracy's descriptions of the people and place are vibrant and bold.  This is a captivating, compelling story and one I can easily recommend.

This is the first in the Lost Cities series and I am looking forward to the rest.  The next book is about Pompeii.

Thanks to First Wildcard and BH Publishing for the opportunity to review this book.  You can learn more about T.L. Higley and see photos of Petra here.  You can read the first chapter here.  You can purchase your own copy here.

Read 9/10

* * * * *
5/5 Stars


Comments

  1. Thank you, what a great post and a facinating story. There are some great faith based stories out there now but this one certainly seems to shine. I really appreciate your sharing, it sounds like a great series.

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  2. Wow, that sounds like such a good book! I've been fascinated by Petra ever since I saw the 3rd Indiana Jones movie which featured the city when I was little. It's such an amazing place!

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  3. I also really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it on my blog. I also enjoyed looking at the author's pictures of her trip to Petra on her website. I thought she did an excellent job describing the places--the pictures matched what I was imagining based on her descriptions in the novel.

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  4. I know such a little about Petra myself. Thanks for this post.

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  5. What a great review! This is going straight on my must-read list!

    Julie @ Knitting and Sundries

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