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At All Costs
Hannah Cleves participates in illegal activity—Christianity.
The year is 2055. America is no longer the home of freedom. Those who worship God are forced to move underground and worship together there. Everything is "normal" until the new year comes around.
A bill passes that forces young adults to be brought to the country's capital for one reason—to find the greatest minds in the land and place them in government jobs of immense importance. Hannah is found between a rock and a hard place as she is caught in the “recruitment requirements.”
For her safety, her father presses her to hide her identity as she is thrust into the world that persecutes her people and hates her Lord.
As Hannah climbs the ranks, a bill is brought to her attention that could lead to disastrous deeds. Hannah questions why God has allowed something like this to happen, placing her in such an endangered position.
But she knows that everything God does is for a reason.
She knows something must be done to stop this evil, even if it costs her life.
In this reimagining of the Book of Esther, there is much for a new heroine to learn about her God and His working ways.
The year is 2055. America is no longer the home of freedom. Those who worship God are forced to move underground and worship together there. Everything is "normal" until the new year comes around.
A bill passes that forces young adults to be brought to the country's capital for one reason—to find the greatest minds in the land and place them in government jobs of immense importance. Hannah is found between a rock and a hard place as she is caught in the “recruitment requirements.”
For her safety, her father presses her to hide her identity as she is thrust into the world that persecutes her people and hates her Lord.
As Hannah climbs the ranks, a bill is brought to her attention that could lead to disastrous deeds. Hannah questions why God has allowed something like this to happen, placing her in such an endangered position.
But she knows that everything God does is for a reason.
She knows something must be done to stop this evil, even if it costs her life.
In this reimagining of the Book of Esther, there is much for a new heroine to learn about her God and His working ways.
218 pages, Paperback
Published October 15, 2022
11 people want to read
About the author
Moriah Kelly
2 books10 followersMoriah Kelly believes there’s not much better than a story. Since she began writing as a teen, she’s made it her mission to craft Christ-honoring stories that enthrall, uplift, and provoke her readers. Among releasing “At All Costs”, an Esther retelling, she has many more ideas she cannot wait to put into readers’ hands. When she isn’t writing, you can find her curled up with a book, being a Disney Adult, enjoying tacos, and spending time with those she loves. You can also find her on Instagram and Goodreads @moriahkelly_author.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
June 27, 2025
I LOVED this book!! 😍
The idea of a dystopian/romantic retelling of Esther intrigued me, and I'm so glad I picked this one up! From the first page, I was transported into Hannah's world: a dystopian America where Christianity is illegal.
I identified so well with Hannah, and I definitely fell in love with Xander. Moriah's fast-paced writing style and jaw-dropping plot twists kept me reading till midnight every night! I found myself screaming silently at the book as I came across plot twist after plot twist. I genuinely couldn't put it down!!
I loved the way Moriah was able to take a well-known story and make it even more applicable for a modern audience. This story was amazing, and I recommend it to anyone and everyone! ❤️
The idea of a dystopian/romantic retelling of Esther intrigued me, and I'm so glad I picked this one up! From the first page, I was transported into Hannah's world: a dystopian America where Christianity is illegal.
I identified so well with Hannah, and I definitely fell in love with Xander. Moriah's fast-paced writing style and jaw-dropping plot twists kept me reading till midnight every night! I found myself screaming silently at the book as I came across plot twist after plot twist. I genuinely couldn't put it down!!
I loved the way Moriah was able to take a well-known story and make it even more applicable for a modern audience. This story was amazing, and I recommend it to anyone and everyone! ❤️
November 21, 2024
Hello, all! I am Moriah Kelly, the author of this book! For those of you who are interested in reading this story but may be wondering what all there is to this story, I'm here to explain!
At All Costs is perfect for lovers of the arranged/forced marriage trope, high stakes, life on the line, friends-to-lovers, and characters unwillingly thrown into a new life, just to name a few. At All Costs is also a slightly futuristic retelling on the book of Esther. Though Esther's journey to becoming Queen wasn't moral, for those of us who know the true nature of the "pageant", this is a completely clean story! There is romance, but clean enough to give to any thirteen-year-old! However, the pain and rawness of the situation I tried to keep. My goal is to write challenging, raw, yet clean stories for those who are tired of filth in books!
If any of these things interests you, I encourage you to pick up this book. My prayer is that you enjoy it, and that it speaks to you as much as it did me. But if you don't enjoy it, that's okay too! I'd love to see your review and rating regardless. This story is in no way perfect. At All. But still to this day, it helps me still! I hope you will be able to say the same.
At All Costs is perfect for lovers of the arranged/forced marriage trope, high stakes, life on the line, friends-to-lovers, and characters unwillingly thrown into a new life, just to name a few. At All Costs is also a slightly futuristic retelling on the book of Esther. Though Esther's journey to becoming Queen wasn't moral, for those of us who know the true nature of the "pageant", this is a completely clean story! There is romance, but clean enough to give to any thirteen-year-old! However, the pain and rawness of the situation I tried to keep. My goal is to write challenging, raw, yet clean stories for those who are tired of filth in books!
If any of these things interests you, I encourage you to pick up this book. My prayer is that you enjoy it, and that it speaks to you as much as it did me. But if you don't enjoy it, that's okay too! I'd love to see your review and rating regardless. This story is in no way perfect. At All. But still to this day, it helps me still! I hope you will be able to say the same.
February 1, 2024
The story of Esther is one of my favorites in the Bible, and "At All Costs" does a beautiful job of retelling it in a way that remains faithful to the Biblical values while making it exciting and relatable for the reader. It was easy to put myself into Hannah's shoes; she was a believable protagonist, imperfect yet used by God in amazing ways.
I would definitely recommend this book! It speaks powerfully about living out your faith, even among unbelievers, and the joy that is found in God even in the midst of affliction.
I would definitely recommend this book! It speaks powerfully about living out your faith, even among unbelievers, and the joy that is found in God even in the midst of affliction.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews