Connilyn Cossette: A Light on the Hill

By Kelly Bridgewater

Seven years ago, Moriyah was taken captive in Jericho and branded with the mark of the Canaanite gods. Now the Israelites are experiencing peace in their new land, but Moriyah has yet to find her own peace. Because of the shameful mark on her face, she hides behind her veil at all times and the disdain of the townspeople keeps her from socializing. And marriage prospects were out of the question . . . until now.

Her father has found someone to marry her, and she hopes to use her love of cooking to impress the man and his motherless sons. But when things go horribly wrong, Moriyah is forced to flee. Seeking safety at one of the newly-established Levitical cities of refuge, she is wildly unprepared for the dangers she will face, and the enemies--and unexpected allies--she will encounter on her way.

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My Thoughts:

A Light on the Hill by Connilyn Cossette is an interesting Biblical fiction story. Even though Biblical fiction is not my chosen choice of genre, I have heard wonderful things about Cossette's writing. While I haven't sampled any of her writing yet, I thoroughly enjoyed my introduction to her writing. 

 With Biblical fiction, I imagined a story set in a world that I'm unfamiliar with and characters relating to a world with the hope of God deeply ingrained in their every choice.

The writing was clear and concise. I really enjoyed that A Light on the Hill explored the city of refuges mentioned in the Bible. I didn't know anything about this topic from the Bible before Cossette wrote about it. This story is told in first person. Since I haven't read any of her other three books, I don't know if she does this in all of her books or if this is the first time. But it works well for this Biblical story. I saw the story from Moriyah's perspective, and it made the story shine more than usual. Most Biblical fiction authors, in my humble opinion, like to create dry, boring stories, but Cossette created a story rich with memorable characters and an intriguing plot.

Moriyah is an unique character. From the moment she entered the story, I empathized with her plight. What eleven year old could handled that type of branding and be able to tell the tale. Cossette does a great job at showing a strong woman who honors her family and depends on Yahweh even though she has been scared from a young age. Then enters Darek. The mysterious, yet handsome man who sees beyond Moriyah's disfigurement and sees her internal beauty. I admired him as the hero and wanted to see more of him.

The plot flowed like a modern day chase scene. Someone running from the law and trying to blend in with another society. This story moved fast and kept my attention from the beginning. I finished the novel in a little over one day and really enjoyed it. Even I was surprised.

Overall, A Light on the Hill by Connilyn Cossette is an interesting look into the world of Biblical time period and explored deeper than the Bible allows me to know. I enjoyed the characters and spending time in their harrowing chase through the wilderness. I highly recommend this book to fans of Biblical Fiction or fans of high speed chases. It truly captured my imagination. Now I'm anxious to return to her first three books and read those.

I received a complimentary copy of A Light on the Hill by Connilyn Cossette from Bethany House Publishers, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars