Connilyn Cossette: Like Flames in the Night

By Kelly Bridgewater

Strong-willed Tirzah wants to join her people in driving the enemy from the land of Israel and undergoes training for a secret mission inside the stronghold of Shechem. But soon after she has infiltrated the ruthless Aramean commander's kitchen, she makes a reckless decision that puts her and her allies in grave danger.

Fresh off the battlefield, Liyam returns home to discover his beloved daughter is dead. After his vow to hunt down her killer leads to months of fruitless pursuit, his last hope is in a family connection that comes with strings attached. Strings that force him to pose as a mercenary and rescue an infuriating woman who refuses to leave her mission uncompleted.

When an opportunity to pave a path to a Hebrew victory arises, can Tirzah convince Liyam to fight alongside her in the refuge city of her birth? Or will Liyam's thirst for vengeance outweigh his duty to his people, his God, and the woman he's come to love?

From Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Connilyn Cossette is a master at her research. I can't imagine taking a few verses from the Bible and crafting four complete stories out of them.Cossette has done a fabulous job with her Cities of Refuge series. I adore the cover for her fourth and final novel, Like Flames in the Night. It is breathtaking. Tirzah finally gets to have her say in the story. She is a tomboy who puts her life on the line for her family. She is brave and finds love too. The story captured my attention in the beginning and the end, but the middle dragged A LOT. I had a hard time staying focused. My mind kept drifting to other things. Not what I like to happen when reading a book. While I enjoyed the other three, this addition didn't quite feel as exciting to me. Fans of Cossette, Angela Hunt, and Mesu Andrews might totally disagree with me and that is okay. Overall, I can't imagine the type of research Cossette does to create a believable story for her readers, but the plot dragged a lot of me in the middle.

I received a complimentary copy of Like Flames in the Night by Connilyn Cossette from Bethany House Publishers, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5

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Connilyn Cossette: Until the Mountains Fall

By Kelly Bridgewater

Recently widowed, Rivkah refuses to submit to the Torah law compelling her to marry her husband's brother and instead flees Kedesh, hoping to use her talents as a scribe to support herself. Without the protections of her father, Kedesh's head priest, and the safety of the city of refuge, Rivkah soon discovers that the cost of recklessness is her own freedom.

Malakhi has secretly loved Rivkah for years, but he never imagined his older brother's death would mean wedding her himself. After her disappearance, he throws himself into the ongoing fight against the Canaanites instead of dwelling on all he has lost. But with impending war looming over Israel, Rivkah's father comes to Malakhi with an impossible request.

As the enemies that Rivkah and Malakhi face from without and within Israel grow more threatening each day, is it too late for the restoration their wounded souls seek?

From Amazon

My Thoughts:

Until the Mountains Fall by Connilyn Cossette is a wonderful story of Biblical proportions. I enjoy spending time in ancient Biblical times and learning more about little parts of the Bible that aren't that well-known. Cossette is a wonderful storyteller. She captures the audience with her descriptions and her ability to climb into the character's minds and lives. Like I have stated before, I can't imagine all the research that goes into writing Biblical fiction. I really enjoyed watching the transformation of Rivkah as she learns to love Malakhi He was definitely a hero worth keeping an eye on. I loved how he would do anything to protect  Rivkah, even offer to work as a servant to keep an eye on her. These characters were admirable. I really enjoyed this novel and can't wait for the fourth book in the series.

I received a complimentary copy of Until the Mountains Fall by Connilyn Cossette from Bethany House Publishers, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

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About the Author:

From Amazon

Connilyn Cossette is the Christy Award Nominated and CBA-Bestselling author of the Out from Egypt Series from Bethany House Publishers. There's not much she enjoys more than digging into the rich, ancient world of the Bible, discovering new gems of grace that point to Jesus, and weaving them into an immersive fiction experience. Connect with her at www.ConnilynCossette.com (Taken from Amazon.)

Connilyn Cossette: Shelter of the Most High

By Kelly Bridgewater

The daughter of a pagan high priest, Sofea finds solace from her troubles in the freedom of the ocean. But when marauders attack her village on the island of Sicily, she and her cousin are taken across the sea to the shores of Canaan.

Eitan has lived in Kedesh, a City of Refuge, for the last eleven years, haunted by a tragedy in his childhood and chafing at the boundaries placed on him. He is immediately captivated by Sofea, but revealing his most guarded secret could mean drawing her into the danger of his past.

As threats from outside the walls loom and traitors are uncovered within, Sofea and Eitan are plunged into the midst of a murder plot. Will they break free from the shackles of the past in time to uncover the betrayal and save their lives and the lives of those they love?

From Amazon

My Thoughts:

I'm not a big fan of Biblical fiction but someone recommended that I read Connilyn Cossette's novels. At first, I was kind of like I don't want to read a dry repeat of the Biblical stories I'm familiar with, but after reading her novel Counting with the Stars, I don't feel that way about Cossette's writing anymore.

She writes with such authority about the time period and the ability to bring the world of B.C. during the Biblical era to life that I have find myself forgetting I'm reading a novel that occurred a long time ago with normal amenities. Like I've mentioned before, I can't imagine all the research that goes into writing a Biblical fiction novel. The author has to be true to the setting and the era without taking the reader out of the story. Cossette does a wonderful job at this.

I really enjoyed Shelter of the Most High. The plot started with a huge climactic moment, and Cossette kept tightening the noose on Sofea and Prezi as they were taken away from everything familiar to them. The novel moves pretty quickly and kept my attention. I finished the book in one day, having a hard time putting the novel down.

The romance between Sofea and Eitan didn't move fast; it appeared just right for me. Their feelings grew as they learned more about each other. It was cheesy or cheap. They didn't do anything to harm their reputation or ruin their perspective of each other.

I really liked the idea of sacrificing yourself for someone you loved throughout the entire novel. It struck a chord with me. Reminded me of Jesus who paid the ultimate sacrifice for all of us. Thank you, Cossette. It was my favorite part of the novel.

Overall, Shelter of the Most High by Connilyn Cossette is a fabulous novel taking place in the Biblical era, but I had a hard time remembering that I was reading a novel taken place during that time period. I loved the characters and the idea of sacrificing oneself for another.

I received a complimentary copy of Shelter of the Most High by Connilyn Cossette from Bethany House Publishers, and the opinion stated are all my own.

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

About the Author:

From Amazon

Connilyn Cossette is the Christy Award Nominated and CBA-Bestselling author of the Out from Egypt Series from Bethany House Publishers. There's not much she enjoys more than digging into the rich, ancient world of the Bible, discovering new gems of grace that point to Jesus, and weaving them into an immersive fiction experience. Connect with her at www.ConnilynCossette.com. (Taken from Amazon.)

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.

From Amazon

 

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