Okay, so I know I said I was done with Esther, but I’m changing my tune because Rebecca Kanner totally grabbed my attention with her new novel Esther which comes out in November. I was intrigued by Kanner’s previous book about Noah’s wife, Sinners and the Sea, but I never got around to reading it. I guess I’ve got to go find it now!

For Esther, becoming queen is a matter of life and death. The king’s harem is a dangerous place and only the favored or the very ruthless survive. To ensure her survival, Esther sets her sights on being queen and embarks on a quest to get there no matter what the cost. She finds help and allies in unexpected places and gradually comes to accept that sacrifices must be made, sometimes by her, and sometimes on her behalf by those she comes to love to secure her place as…