Up from Dust: Martha's Story is the first book I have read by the talented author, Heather Kaufman. It, also, kicks off the Women of the Way series. I really enjoyed Martha's story. The author use of vivid details made me as though I was standing right there along Martha and witnessing what she was experiencing. I thought it was a beautiful story of faith and hope. It will be among one of my favorite Biblical fiction books I have read to date.

Up from Dust: Martha's Story deserves five stars. I have no doubt historical fiction lovers, particularly of Biblical Fiction, will love it as much as me. I can not wait to see what is the second installment from the Women of the Way series.

I received a paperback copy of Heather Kaufman's Up from Dust: Martha's Story from the publisher, but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.

"There was no grave He could not plunder, no darkness He could not pierce, and there was no one so lost that He could not find her and lift her up."

Wow, just wow!!

This is my first read by this author, and it was epic!!

Up From Dust is a bittersweet and moving tale of love, loss, and new-found hope.

I love how the author told this story of Martha, Mary and Lazarus with understanding, compassion and gentle yet powerful truths.

This is a perfect read for fans of writers like Mesu Andrews and Jill Eileen Smith!

This book is one I definitely will want to
re-read, and I enjoyed it so much, I plan to pick up a paperback of it later.

Thank you to the publisher for the complimentary e-book I received to review through Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review and the thoughts above are my own.

Up from Dust by Heather Kaufman was an interesting read. I love Biblical fiction as it seems to breathe life into the Bible to make it fresh for me. I was intrigued by the subject of the back story to Martha, Mary and Lazarus. After reading the book, I am conflicted about my feelings on this book. There were parts that I enjoyed, but some parts I felt were stretching the ideas a bit too much for my taste. The back story of the siblings was interesting and the love interest for Martha was captivating. I also thought how Martha and her love interest met in secret was a bit of a stretch for that time in history. The other thing I found disappointing was the lack of friendship with Jesus in the book. While Kaufman stayed true to the Biblical account of things, I was disappointed that the close friendship that Jesus had with these siblings was not developed in the story as I had hoped. It is a good read, I just had expectations that were left unfulfilled. I did like how Kaufman had end notes to direct people back to the Bible and explaining a bit of her thought process to why she took the direction in the story that she wrote.

My thanks to Bethany House Publishers and Netgalley for the free ebook in exchange for my review of the book.

The author exceeded my expectations. The book was beautifully written. It felt like I was in there with the characters. In fact I read the book in a day. The story made me appreciate the Bible story of Martha and her family. I saw family devotion, love, faith illustrated in amazing and mundane ways. My heart went out to the siblings. The story showed the inner workings of their hearts and situations and how they individually responded to Jesus. I saw God's patience with His children. We all don't come to Him the same way but He accepts us and refines us into the people He wants us to be. This is the first of this author I am reading but it will definitely not be the last.

I received a copy of this book and this is my honest opinion.

This was a fictionalized retelling of the story of the Biblical Martha and her siblings Mary and Lazarus. If you are familiar with the Bible story you will enjoy the imaginative family history the author created to fill in details about what happened, and if you are not familiar with the story you will enjoy reading about a strong female character whose faith grew despite many hardships and disappointments.

This is the first book in the Women of the Way series. It's clear that a lot of research went into this story, and facts are skillfully woven throughout the story. It stays true to the Bible story that will likely be familiar to readers. Many people have found Mary and Martha relatable, and that's the case with their characters, as well as Lazarus, in this book. The first part of the book provides a lot of backstory on their childhood to the beginning of Jesus's ministry. The second part focuses on the Bible stories many readers will recognize. The author paints the story in such a way that the reader is made to feel a part of it.

I will admit up front that I LOVE Biblical fiction, but I'm also rather picky about it as well...especially ones that are set in the time of Jesus. I was SO pleased that, besides a very brief exchange with two children (purely asking their names and one what their favorite animal was) and then saying he had been looking forward to one of Mary's "famed" dishes, every single conversation that took place with Jesus in this book came straight from Scripture. That won me over right there - but Heather's story building was incredibly beautiful in it's own right. At the end of the book she even has a section about what was historical, what she imagined, etc., and that was a great addition.

I surely hope she writes more in the Biblical fiction genre. You don't want to miss this one!

Up from Dust: Martha's Story by Heather Kaufman is an absolutely wonderful Biblical fiction story set during Jesus's time that you don't want to miss if you love stories with all of the feelings and heart struggles that many of us grapple with. This story was so well written and I look forward to reading more books by this author in the future.

I was given an ARC from the author/publisher. All conclusions are mine and mine alone.

“Up from Dust” transported me back to Bible times where I walked in the shoes of Martha, the sister of Lazarus and Mary. Like Martha, I was placed in a mother-like role after my mother died, so it was effortless to step in her shoes, see her perspective, and connect with her heart.

There isn’t a part of this story where I wasn’t fully engaged. I loved this journey and witnessing how Jesus comes to us where we are and responds to us all in different ways, but always in love and mercy.

I love biblical fiction, but it’s rare (for me) to find a setting during Jesus’s time on earth. What a blessing to delve into that period and see things through Martha’s eyes and see the gulf between the lost and the found.

This is a beautiful redemption story, and I enjoyed it tremendously. With elements of hope, courage, and love, this book reveals the love, mercy, and hope we have in Jesus.

#CoverLoverBookReview received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions are 100% mine.
A 2024 Fav♡rite

This was a very book that made it a joy to keep on reading. If you read the Bible, you most likely know of Mary and Martha. This is about Martha, which begins with the birth of Mary. As I don’t want to spoil the book for you, this is a book that will want you to keep reading to see what happens next. How does Martha deal with a baby sister on the scene? Will Martha even find love? These questions and more will be answered as you read this book. It was a joy to get to know Martha just a little bit more and understand what her background may have been like.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from NetGalley for my honest review.

Up From Dust became available for sale January 23, 2024. This is the first of the Women of the Way series.

I loved this book. Up From Dust is a fictional account of the lives of siblings Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, though the story focuses on Martha. I was amazed at the incredible story Heather was able to weave together while also staying as true as possible to the biblical accounts that we find in Scripture.

If you enjoy biblical fiction, this book was so rich in imagery and imagination, while maintaining key information that we know about these real-life people. While there were of course some creative liberties taken, the author’s love for and dedication to God’s Word was evident throughout.

Such a beautiful debut novel. I already can’t wait to read the next story! Highly recommend!

Thank you to @netgalley and @bethanyhousefiction for my gifted e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

When hurt happens (not if, but when) will we wallow in the pain and misery of it or will it cause us to reach higher?

This is a wonderful reimagining of Martha of Bethany’s life and a fantastic start to author Heather Kaufman’s new series, ‘Women of the Way.’

First, THAT cover! Right?! Gorgeous. The teacher within wouldn’t let me start reading until I knew the significance of the title, so I headed to do some research. I discovered that in Bible times, dust was thrown over one’s head to show worthlessness or shame and/or to indicate grieving. I knew going into the book that there’d be both tragedy and uplifting in Martha’s life. I was appreciative of the push to reread Psalm 113.

You may remember that Martha is the sister of Lazarus and Mary. The only thing I knew of Martha heading into this book was that she was a ‘server.’ I’d never considered the family dynamics, her friendship with others in Bethany, her broken past, or her growth and acceptance of Jesus. Very little is mentioned of Martha or her siblings in the bible, so Kaufman has fleshed out a ‘what if’ story highlighting the sibling’s dynamics and their time with Jesus. Readers get to ‘see’ Martha as a young girl, become aware of her pain at an early age, and grow burdened and worried as she ages. I was swept up in a compelling story showing her arc progressing from 65 AD as an 8-year-old to 31 AD as a 42-year-old woman. Time well spent.

I enjoyed this opportunity to see Martha as she might have been before meeting Jesus and then see the effect it had on her life and the choices she made as a result. It didn’t take long to see the relevance of the title. Reading about her transformation was inspiring and encouraging.

I loved the thought about growing into our inheritance, about beholding beauty even if it’s for a short time, the warning about the burdens of secrets, choosing our friends wisely, and that Jesus’ presence demands change.

My takeaway?

I’m thankful for the encouragement to (1) ‘reframe’ my wounds. There are so many things that can cause us to spiral in this life, and we can find ourselves “down in the dust”. I’m hoping to remember that in the heaviness of pain and disappointment, I can allow myself to be pulled out of the dust and rely on Him. (2) consider the nature of love on this Valentine’s Day. Love is definitely not a thief, but a gift.

The words I needed to read:

“Bitterness crouched at my door, gnashing its teeth for my soul, but through focusing on faithful stewardship, I could keep the beast at bay. I could keep my soul from becoming something unrecognizable”

“Loss can lead to bitterness. Knowledge can lead to pride. Both the hard and good things in our lives can take root in ways that produce death.”

I was gifted this copy by Bethany House and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

I loved this book. Have done a tiktok review as well as a goodreads review. Will be sharing the tiktok review on my Facebook.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ // 5 star read
🌅Being a Christian, I personally love Biblical fiction and any books in the Christian Historical realm. This one specifically has my heart now!
🌅The characters, Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, were just so admirable and the character relationships were my favorite. The writing style captured my interest from the start and held it throughout! 😍 If you’re looking for an amazing Biblical fiction read, I’d absolutely recommend this!!

Biblical fiction while Jesus walked the earth?? 😍 This is a top tier sub-genre for me in Christian fiction. I LOVE books that give me peaks into the way people perceive Jesus based on what we know from the Word. And this book does all that and more. Featuring the popular character of Martha of Bethany and her famous siblings, this story gives the backstory we’ve probably all wondered about when we read John 11:5.

My favorite moments:
⭐️The blossoming of relationship between Martha and Mary
⭐️The backstory of Jesus before we even knew His name
⭐️The slow burn romance
⭐️The portrayal of the crucifixion and resurrection from this perspective

That being said, I thought the book was a little slow at first, and I’m glad it started to build after a while. I would have loved an epilogue as well. And the Gildah and Simon inclusion wasn’t my favorite. But it was still a beautiful book that gave me chilllssss at the Lazarus resurrection 😍

I found this book a very interesting “what if“ story about Mary, Martha and Lazarus. I enjoyed a lot of the story, especially seeing the way the three siblings learned to love and appreciate each other more. What I did not care for so much in it was the amount of romance. I knew before reading it that there was a good chance it would be that way, so I was not surprised. However, I did not enjoy it as much as I would have had that aspect been left out. I really liked seeing how Martha learned to know, love and appreciate Jesus. The story also brought the Crucifixion Day alive in a way that very few books I’ve read have done. At the same time, there are frequent references to Jesus carving animals to give away. I don’t believe He would have done that, since the Jews had a strict prohibition against images. So, there was a lot I enjoyed in Up From Dust, but it was not my favorite book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley, and these are my honest thoughts about it.

So good!!! I enjoyed this authors story of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus.
The authors notes at the end were good too. I enjoyed reading how she was inspired to write this.

Up from the Dust is inspired by the most famous siblings in the Bible. Heather Kauffman weaves a very plausible story that expounds on what we know about Martha, Lazarus and Mary. She used scripture where she could and used her imagination to flesh out things that are unknown but possible during the time period that they lived. She focused more on Martha’s story in this novel. I enjoyed reading about her possible perspective.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book for my honest opinion.

Wow, what a captivating novel. It was intriguing to hear the author explain how she went about writing this complex story about the most famous siblings in the Bible. She says that when Jesus was portrayed in these biblical stories, He already had a close relationship with Lazarus’s family. I like how all of this is covered by her in the author’s note, which also included quotes from scripture.

The author says, “Part one is largely fictious and contains the biggest fictional element regarding Jesus in the form of a back story between Him and Uri… Part two required many thoughtful choices…” She goes on to explain what and why of her choices. I appreciated that. The author goes on to say, “In weaving this fictional account, my desire was to remain true to what we do know of these flesh-and-blood people who actually lived and loved the one we call Savior and Lord.”

Amen! Amen! This was a story that drove me go to the Bible and read the accounts mentioned for myself. This is a novel you don’t want to miss and an author you’ll want to watch.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I requested and received a copy of this book by the publisher and NetGalley. 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.”

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins!

In Bethany there were three siblings - Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. They were friends of Jesus and it was in their house that Jesus experienced family and friendship. They witnessed his teaching and some of his miracles as well as his persecution and death. That is the story I knew from childhood. Up from Dust takes this story to a deeper, richer level and in it we learn more about the life of the siblings before their encounter with Jesus. Heather Kaufman explores the life of Martha in a beautiful way. She gives us a powerful story of Martha's life as we experience Martha's hopes, desires, loss and grief. We also gain an understanding of what their family and Jewish societal life was like. In the end we see great love, hope, and redemption.
The book seamlessly blends biblical fact and fiction into a very plausible story. Heather Kaufman writes with such gentleness and emotion that you are transported to Bethany and immersed in the lives of the these siblings. I was able to feel their fears, their sadness, their dispair and then rejoice with them . It was a roller coaster of emotion. The author is to be commended for her research. It is quite an undertaking to take a known bible story and enrich it and make it so relateable. This book is perfect for a reader who enjoys history as well as a story of love and redemption.