Book Review: Between the Wild Branches by Connilyn Cossette

“My opponent wavered on his feet, catching his breath from the relentless attack I’d delivered to his torso, and in that brief moment, my attention flitted up to the balcony that surrounded this royal courtyard….Surely it was only a trick of the light that familiar hazel eyes gazed down at me…”

-Lukio, Between the Wild Branches

Between the Wild Branches by Connilyn Cossette is the continuation of the duology, The Covenant House series. In this story, we get to experience the continuation of the story of Lukio, and his closest childhood friend, Shoshanna.

At the beginning of Between the Wild Branches, Lukio is back in Ashdod, one of five cities occupied by the Philistines, as a successful fighter, and has achieved wealth and notoriety because of his skills in fighting. Shoshana has been brought to Ashdod as a slave after the Philistines raided the Hebrew land where she lived. They are reunited under some precarious circumstances, and the plot begins.

Between the Wild Branches was a great sequel and wrap up to the first book. It was great to see the characters again because I enjoyed their stories so much. I read it in about two days, and a lot of my time was spent fighting the urge to turn to the end and find out how the author resolved everything that was going on. It was that intense!

There was lots of action, unique surprises, and scenarios that I kept wondering how the author was going to work out. The characters got themselves into so many predicaments that you wondered how they would ever untangle themselves. The plot was brilliant!!!

There was some violence in this novel that was not for the faint of heart. The Philistines were brutal and had some horrible practices. I didn’t know a lot of details about them, other than what I have read in the Bible in relation to well known people like Samson and David.

The setting is during the time period of the Judges in the Old Testament. So if you like historical fiction set in Biblical eras, you will enjoy this novel. 

Many blessings as you read!

To learn more about Between the Wild Branches, please go here.

To learn more about the author, please go to her website at ConnilynCossette.com.

To read an author interview about Between the Wild Branches, go here.

To read my review for the first book in the series, To Dwell Among Cedars, go here.

Q & A with Connilyn Cossette on Between the Wild Branches

Between the Wild Branches is the second in the Covenant House series and is set to release July 6th! It is the continuation of the story of Lukio, and Shoshanna, his childhood friend, as we find them in perilous circumstances in the city of Ashdod, the Philistine city where Lukio was born. In honor of her book release, I thought I would share some Q & A with the author, Connilyn Cossette, about her upcoming book!



This series is a duology, what made you decide to only write two books this time?

I was really intrigued with telling the story of two siblings and how their journeys intertwined to form one whole story that was satisfying both to myself and to my readers. Of course I usually fall in love with secondary characters along the way and wish I could tell their stories too, and the Covenant House was no exception. There is one character in particular in Between the Wild Branches that my beta readers wanted to know more about. So who knows, maybe in the future I’ll have the chance to expand that storyline a bit! The great thing is that my next series is a spin-off and readers will get to meet my next four heroes in BTWB, so keep your eyes peeled as you read, especially near the end!

What drew you to this period in history to place a series?

When I had the opportunity to go to Israel a few years ago we traveled right through the Beth Shemesh valley, where the ruins of that town are just off the highway. And when our tour guide mentioned that this area was near where Samson lived and was also the exact place where the Philistines returned the Ark of the Covenant after they stole it in 1 Samuel. That day, I had a distinct vision of that ark bumping along on the road with two curious children following after it and decided that I needed to tell their story. Fortunately for me, at the same time I was plotting/researching the Covenant House series, scientists were proving from DNA evidence gathered in a Philistine graveyard that these enigmatic people actually came from Crete just like the Bible says they did. This new information gave me lots of fodder for book material and made my imagination spin like mad about the culture of the Philistines, which most likely was rooted in the Minoan and/or Mycenean people during the Bronze Age. They were certainly not simple shepherds and farmers like the Hebrew people were at that time and likely worshipped the precursors to the Greek gods we all know, so I had lots of fun contrasting the two opposing cultures and religious systems. There are still a lot of unknowns with the Philistines and we don’t have a handle on their language or writing system yet but I suspect more will come to light in the future that will continue to prove the Bible historically accurate.


This series has underlying themes of adoption, why is this a special topic for you?

Well, for starters, I am an adoptee myself. I was adopted at birth and grew up knowing that my adoption was a special thing and what a loving choice my young birthmother made to place me in a stable, two-parent home. When I was twenty-two I actually got to meet my birth mom, after stumbling across a web posting way back in the early days of the internet, and have since gotten to know both her and my half-siblings. My brother, too, was adopted from Korea when he was four and I am also the mother of two adopted-at-birth children myself. So adoption is such a precious theme in my own life that it just naturally spills into my stories. And our adoption into the family of God through the sacrifice of Jesus is, of course, the most beautiful story there is, so there are shades of that built into Eliora and Lukio’s union with the Hebrew family that take them in and introduce them to covenant life. Of course, adoption is a precious thing and full of beauty but it is also rooted in loss, so I do not shy away from some of the challenges and questions that adoptees face, such as: Who am I? Where do I belong? How do I define my past and how does it affect my future? Or what if I’d never been separated from my family of origin? Eliora and Lukio struggle through these questions in different ways and I found great satisfaction in working through their healing and self-acceptance, since their journeys at times mirror my own, my brother’s, and those of my children.

Between Eliora and Lukio, which sibling did you relate to the most and why?

Hm. That is kind of tough. I’m actually quite different from Eliora, who spends a lot of time trying to “earn her place at the table” but I also have a tendency to try and blend in with the background because I hate spotlights. And I am certainly not an aggressive bare-knuckle fighter like Lukio, but I have struggled with some of the same identity issues he has and tend toward walling myself off in difficult relationships and compartmentalizing things to the point of isolation. So I am not like either of them, but yet I am. There are probably pieces of me in all the characters I write. Even the villains ;)

What makes the characters in Between the Wild Branches different from any others you’ve written before?

I had lots of fun writing a more hero-centric story this time and Lukio is hands down my favorite male character to have written. First of all, he is a no-holds-barred bare-knuckled fighter (which is rooted in the ancient and brutal sport of Pankration) so I got to channel my inner MMA fighter and have some fun getting out some imaginary aggression. But he is also a hurting little boy on the inside, one who feels deeply and is wounded from what he perceived to be devastating betrayals. His journey to healing was so satisfying for me and no matter how many times I edited it all, I cried every time I read the final scenes. Also, since there was a childhood friendship/romance between Lukio and Shoshana, there was lots of intriguing history between them which added a different dimension to their reunion. Since ten years have passed since they’ve seen each other and a lot of life, and in Shoshana’s case pain, has occurred in that gap, they are in some ways completely different people by the time the book opens. It was an interesting challenge to think about how they relate to the “newness” of each other, while at the same time holding on to the sweet, secret friendship they enjoyed in the past. I love how they complement each other and how their relationship develops over the course of the story, despite all the obstacles between them.

What part of BTWB did you have the hardest time writing?

Honestly, this story poured out of me in a way that none of my books have before. I wrote the entire manuscript by hand and was so in love with the characters that there was not any part that was a major challenge. This is why the next series is a spin-off, because I just couldn’t let go of my friends!

Thank you Connilyn for answering these questions, and for continuing to write these stories of healing and redemption!

To learn more about the author, please visit her website at connilyncossette.com.

To learn more about Between the Wild Branches, go to Christianbook.com. 

To learn more about the first book in the series, To Dwell Among Cedars, please click on the book title, or go here to read my review.

Note: This post contains affiliate links from Christianbook.com. This means if you purchase one of these books after clicking on the link, I will generate a commission from that purchase. This does not influence my recommendation of the books.

Summer 2021 Reading List

I signed the kids and myself up for the summer reading program at one of our local libraries this year! Since I will be reading quite extensively,  I thought I would create this list to show you what I have plans for this summer! I have already finished 6 of the books, which leaves me with 6 more to go!  What are you reading this summer? Have you read any of the books on the list?

Daughter of Jerusalem by Joanne Otto

I stumbled across this book while searching for others on Amazon. I wasn't familiar with this author, but I ordered it anyway because of the subject matter, and because I read a sample first. I have already finished this book. It was a short read, and meant for probably middle school readers or young adults. Because it was a story about a girl who lives in Jerusalem during the time of Jesus, I enjoyed reading it.

Between the Wild Branches by Connilyn Cossette

This is part of a two book series called The Covenant House series, and is the story of two siblings, a brother and sister.  The first book was To Dwell Among Cedars.  If you click on the book title for To Dwell Among Cedars, you can read a review I did previously. I have finished Between the Wild Branches, and am currently working on a review for that as well.

Encountering Jesus in the Real World of the Gospels by Cyndi Parker

This book is a nonfiction book that takes us from Eden to the Resurrection. It covers the history of Israel and other people groups leading up to the time of Jesus, in an effort to give the reader/learner a clearer picture of what the time/space/place was like during the time of His earthly ministry. I first listened to this book on audio, and loved it so much I had to buy a paper copy. There is a lot of information about place and history, which is usually hard for me to follow unless it is in story form, but the author made it so relatable that it was easy to connect. It helped that the subject was Jesus.

When Calls the Heart by Janette Oke

I have started reading this book, but haven't finished yet. I love the tv show that was based on the book series, so I wanted to give the book a try. So far, I am enjoying it. It is a nice, peaceful read, which is a pleasant change from some of the more intense books I have read! Not that I didn't like the other books, but that this is a little different in nature and has a more calm tone. It's sort of like comparing a thunderstorm to a general rainstorm. You can enjoy both, just one is more intense than the other.

Fearless Daughters of the Bible by Lee Grady

I haven't started this one yet, but purchased it because it is about women in the Bible, a subject with which I am moderately familiar, but always wanting to learn more about. So many times women in the Old Testament are a picture of Jesus or the Church, so I am eager to learn as much about them as I can.

Daughter of Light: Charilene's Story by Melanie Dobson

This book is one of the Ordinary Women of the Bible series published by Guideposts. I believe this one is about one of Philip's daughters from the Book of Acts. I have read other books in this series, but have not started this one yet. I will publish an update when I am finished.

A Man with a Past by Mary Connealy

I am not familiar with this author or book, but I am looking forward to reading A Man with a Past. What I know so far  about the book is that it is the second in a series, and is a Western Christian Fiction type book. I have not begun reading it yet, so I will post an update when I am finished.

Jerusalem's Queen by Angela Hunt

I am very interested in reading this book. It is based on history that took place between the Old Testament and the New Testament, also known as the Intertestamental Period. The main character is Salome, who was the Queen of Jerusalem during part of this time period. I know very little about her, other than she was responsible for setting up the educational system for children, and her brother was a Pharisee or a Saducee. I will post an update after I have finished this book.

Michal by Jill Eileen Smith

This book is Biblical fiction and is based on King David's first wife, Michal. She was King Saul's daughter. I have read other books by Jill Eileen Smith. She has written many about women in the Bible, so I am looking forward to this one.

Missionary of Hope: Priscilla's Story by Ginger Garrett

This book is part of the Ordinary Women of the Bible series published by Guideposts, and is the story of a women whom we first meet in the Book of Acts, chapter 18. She is also mentioned in Romans and a couple of the other epistles from Paul. I love her story in the Bible, and I have read several books about her. This one was super intense. I enjoyed it so much, and was unable to read anything else for a few days after because I was still processing. I had not read a book by this author before either, so that was nice to read something by someone new.

Her Source of Strength: Raya's Story by Jill Eileen Smith

This is another book in the Ordinary Women of the Bible series. Raya's story is about Samson's mother. She is mentioned a couple of times in Judges, but only as Manoah's wife I believe. This novel went through the story of Samson, beginning to end,  from what it might have been like to view from his mother's perspective. Samson kind of bothered me a lot because of the choices he made, but since reading the story, I have re-read parts of the Biblical account, and I am beginning to see Jesus more clearly in there.

Jewel of the Nile by Tessa Afshar

This novel is also fiction set during the Biblical era of the Book of Acts. The main character is Charilene, and she is from Cush, also known as Ethiopia. In this book, we get to see some other well known Biblical people from the Book of Acts, as well as a character that has been in two of her other books, Theo. I loved this story. It is in my top 5 books of the year so far. I have read all of Tessa's books, and this one is close to being my favorite. 

*To learn more about the books, click on the book title. To learn more about the author, click on their name.

Note: This post contains affiliate links from Christianbook.com. This means if you purchase one of these books after clicking on the link, I will generate a commission from that purchase. This does not influence my recommendation of the books.

Book Review: To Dwell Among Cedars by Connilyn Cossette

 

"Her gaze fluttered about the room, as if the answer were written somewhere on the walls. "The Ark," she said on a gasp, her eyes flaring. "It's just as in my dreams. You must follow the Ark."

-Azuvah, To Dwell Among Cedars

Publisher's Description:

Eight years ago, when the Philistines stole and then surrendered the ark of the covenant back to the Israelites, Eliora left her Philistine homeland to follow the ark to the community of Kiryat Yearim. There, the family she was adopted into has guarded the ark at the top of a mountain in seclusion.

Ronen is a Levite musician determined to return the ark to Shiloh, where his tribe believes it belongs. He never expected that the Philistine girl he rescued years ago would now be part of the very family he's tasked to deceive.

As Ronen's attempts to charm Eliora lead them in unexpected directions, betrayal leaves Eliora with strained family ties and Ronen questioning his own loyalties. Ultimately, Eliora and Ronen are caught up in the battle for the soul of Israel and its future under the leadership of Samuel, the last judge before the era of the kings begins.


My Review:

The story in To Dwell Among Cedars is based off a story in the Old Testament where the Ark is taken by the Philistines and the is returned to Israel, and settles in Kiryat-Yearim. It takes place during the time period in Israel's history when judges ruled, right before they get their first king, in 1 Samuel 4-7.  You can read about it here.

I was not really familiar with the Biblical account. It seems like I had heard about portions of it, but did not have knowledge of or understand it in great detail. It was good to refresh myself and go back and read the account in the Scriptures again.

At the beginning of the book, there is a map (which I love) that helps you become acquainted with locations in the story, since the setting for the book takes places in several places.

In To Dwell Among Cedars, Connilyn Cossette has built a beautiful story around the account in 1 Samuel.  It tells the story of a girl who goes from darkness to light, which I believe is the story of us all who have put our trust in Jesus.

The girl follows the Ark of the Covenant, and it leads her into peace and family, redeeming grace and hope.  

I loved this story.  I read it slowly this time.  Often when I am reading, I read quickly because I want to know what happens next!  But this time, I read the story slowly, and just rested in the peacefulness of the setting and the plot.

There is a clean romance as part of the plot, which would be encouraging to young women/men in your life who are looking for God's best.  Honesty, courage, love, service, and kindness are all interwoven in the story, as well as how to handle situations when these character qualities are not demonstrated.

I recommend this book to anyone who likes historical fiction and stories based on the Bible.  This would be a great book to include as part of a high school homeschool curriculum.  

Many blessings to you as you grow in grace and the knowledge of Him,

Beth

*Disclosure statement: I received a copy of this book from the publisher.  The thoughts and opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

To learn more about the author, visit her at her website at connilyncossette.com.

To learn more about the book, please visit Christianbook.com.

In honor of this book release, I would like to give away a copy of To Dwell Among Cedars!  Just leave a comment believe telling me whether or not you are familiar with any of the stories of the Ark of the Covenant in the Old Testament and what you know about it.  I will randomly draw a winner on New Year's Eve!  (US Residents only will receive a paper copy.  If you are located somewhere besides the US,  I can give away an electronic copy for Kindle.)

And the winner is...Kaylee!  Kaylee, please message your address to bethlisteningtohim@gmail.com.  Happy New Year!

Note: This post contains affiliate links from Christianbook.com. This means if you purchase one of these books after clicking on the link, I will generate a commission from that purchase. This does not influence my recommendation of the books.

Until the Mountains Fall by Connilyn Cossette

If brothers dwell together, and one of them dies and has no son, the wife of the dead man shall not be married outside the family to a stranger. Her husband’s brother shall go in to her and take her as his wife and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her.-Deuteronomy 25:5 ESV


I love Biblical fiction. You can never exhaust the riches found in scripture. I am always amazed at storytellers who take scripture and teach us something about grace and God. Until the Mountains Fall is one such story.

Until the Mountains Fall, by author Connilyn Cossette is the 3rd book in her Cities of Refuge series. In the Old Testament, a city of refuge was a place where a person could go if they had accidentally killed another person, and are a beautiful picture of the person of Jesus. You can learn more about the cities of refuge in Joshua 20 and Numbers 35. In her latest novel, Cossette tells us the story of Rivkah, the daughter of the head priest, who lives in Kedesh, one of the six cities of refuge.

As the story opens, Rivkah is being given in marriage, a levirate marriage, to her late husband’s brother, Malakhai, and she is not happy about it. Gidal, her late husband, has just recently died, and her father has arranged this marriage very quickly to Malakhai, whom she has known since childhood.

According to Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary, a levirate marriage is “a form of marriage prescribed by the Law of Moses in which a man was required to marry the widow of a brother who died with no male heir. The term “levirate” means “husband’s brother.” The purpose of the law was to provide an heir for the dead brother, thereby preserving his name and estate. The law also was designed to provide for the welfare of the widows. (Deuteronomy 25:5-10)”

Because of her displeasure about the marriage, Rivkah takes matters into her own hands, and makes a very poor decision. She doesn’t understand how Malakhai feels towards her, and she flees Kedesh.

I love the story. But at the beginning of the story I did not like Rivkah. She made me so mad! As readers, we can see things the characters cannot see. So, we can sit on the other side of the pages so to speak, and scream, “Noooo! Don’t do it!” But alas, they make their own choices anyway. She was unhappy, which I get. But she was throwing away something that would be good for her, even though she couldn’t see it.

Later on in the novel, my heart softened toward Rivkah. Slowly, the author was able to weave some sympathy and compassion for her into the story and into my heart. I felt very much connected to Rivkah and began to really like her. Just like this story's main character,  I have made my own choices and ran from people who loved me into great trouble and distress. But God was there to clean up my mess, pick me up, and help me start over. God is always looking out for us.

I don’t want to give away all the details or surprises of the story, and there are many, so I cannot say much more. But it is worth it to follow the journey of Rivkah and Malakhai to find out how their story unfolds. I cried multiple times as I traveled the road with them. God is a God of rescue even in our darkest hour.

I recommend this book highly to anyone who loves biblical or historical fiction. Cossette has taken just one small portion of scripture and taught us so much.

I also recommend this book to homeschooling families who have high school age students. If you follow the Charlotte Mason philosophy of education, this could be considered a great living book for studying ancient civilizations and the Bible.

As a way to celebrate launch day, which is Tuesday July 2, I will be giving away two copies of Until the Mountains Fall on my blog! Please leave a comment and tell me if you have ever read any biblical fiction before, and if so what do you like about it.  I will randomly choose a winner from the comments on Friday, July 5th. (Open to U.S. residents only.)

*Update:  The winners of the copies of Until the Mountains Fall are Aryn the Libraryan and Jennifer Hibdon!  Congratulations! Please send your address to bethlisteningtohim@gmail.com, in order to receive your book.  Thank you so much for participating, and I hope you enjoy Until the Mountains Fall!

To learn more about the author, please visit her website at https://www.connilyncossette.com/.

To learn more about all three books in the Cities of Refuge series, please click on each book title.

A Light on the Hill

Shelter of the Most High

Until the Mountains Fall

To read an interview with the author, go here to Library Lady's Kid Lit blog.Disclosure Statement: I received a copy of this book from the publisher. The thoughts and opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

Wings of the Wind by Connilyn Cossette

Can vengeance give way to forgiveness when one woman's destiny becomes entangled with the very enemies she sought to destroy?

Motherless and raised alongside her brothers, Alanah, a Canaanite, is no stranger to fighting. When her father and brothers are killed in battle with the Hebrews, she disguises herself and sneaks onto the battlefield to avenge her family. The one thing she never counted on was surviving.

Tobiah, a Hebrew warrior, has spent his share of time on the battlefield and is shocked to find an unconscious woman among the casualties. Compelled to bring her to a healer back at the Hebrew camp, he's unprepared for the consequences of what he intended as an act of compassion.

In order to survive, Alanah must unite with her enemy. But will a terrible revelation drive her toward an even greater danger?
                           -Book Description, Bethany House Publishers


My Review:

There was so much Biblical history packed within the pages of this story. Wings of the Wind is the third novel in the Out From Egypt series. It is set during the time when the Israelites are just about to enter The Promised Land. I know a little about this time period, but because of the events that took place in the book as part of their experience in the wilderness, and because of the fictional experiences of Alanah, I have a lot more to think about now.

I don't want to share all of the things I loved about the book, because I don't want to give too much away. But two of my favorite parts are Alanah's journey coming to know God, and the descriptions of the major events that took place during that time period. I always look for Jesus in the Old Testament stories, because there are many pictures of Him, and He is there.

One of my favorite quotes from the book is when Alanah is talking with one of the women who was in Egypt when the Israelites left. They are talking about the manna that falls from the sky for them every morning.

"B-but..." I stuttered. "You don't look that old!"

"Well, thank you for that." She patted her silvery curls, "I think that has more to do with the manna than anything. It seems to give all of us an abnormal vitality. But I was twenty-one when we left Egypt, and my Zakariyah twenty-eight."

I love this because in the New Testament Jesus tells us in John 6:35,

I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

And then again in John 6:51 He says,

I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And this bread, which I will give for the life of the world, is My flesh.


I cried twice while reading Wings of the Wind and held my breath through quite a few chapters! There was so much action within the book. I had a difficult time putting it down. If you enjoy Biblical or historical fiction, then you will like this book!


Many blessings to you as you read!!

~Beth




I recently had the opportunity to ask Connilyn Cossette a few questions about her writing, and I thought that I would share them with you!

Beth: How did you get started writing Biblical Fiction?

Connilyn : It was only because Kiya's story (Counted with the Stars) came to me, actually. I had always wanted to write books but did not have enough confidence that anything I wrote would be worth reading. I'd hoped to someday write historical fiction and tried my hand at a couple of stories but never got very far, it wasn't until Counted with the Stars became a vision in my brain that I could not shake that I sat down and actually wrote on a regular basis. It took me nearly five years to learn enough about writing that I felt confident in showing my work to anyone! I certainly did not set out to write Biblical fiction, it kinda chose me :).

Beth:What resources do you use when writing?

Connilyn: I love Google Books because I can find some great out of print gems from 100 years ago for free. Of course I also scour Amazon and buy as much material as I can within my budget. I also use Chabad.org to help research the Rabbinical ideas about certain topics. And lots of Youtube and Googling of various topics. There are so many pictures and videos and websites out there that help me layer in historic detail, I can't imagine being a historical writer before the internet!

Beth: Did you feel as though God was leading you to do this?

Connilyn: I absolutely do. I know that he gave me the initial vision of Kiya (Counted with the Stars) as an older woman standing on the bank of the river Jordan waiting to go into the Promised Land. He has been so faithful along the way and has gifted me this career that I was too scared to even ask for, for fear of being disappointed. He continues to sustain me through it all and there are times when I feel he gives me exactly the words I am searching for, which usually brings me to tears of gratitude for the privilege of doing what I love with him and for him!



To learn more about Connilyn Cossette, or the Out From Egypt series, please visit her website at http://www.connilyncossette.com/.


As part of the release of Wings of the Wind, I thought I would give away the Kindle version of the first two books in the series! To enter to win, simply leave a comment below. I will draw a winner on Friday, May 12th.


Congratulations Charis! You are the winner of the Kindle versions of Counted with the Stars and Shadow of the Storm! Please message me your email to bethlisteningtohim@gmail.com so I can get your books to you! Thanks for reading!

To read my review for the first two books in the series, follow the links below!

Counted with the Stars


Shadow of the Storm



Disclosure Statement: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to give a favorable review. The thoughts and opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

Counted With the Stars by Connilyn Cossette

He took him outside and said, "Look up at the sky and count the stars--if indeed you can count them." Then he said to him, "So shall your offspring be."-Genesis 15:5 (NIV)

Biblical fiction is my favorite, especially when the author does a good job with the research and writing. Counted With the Stars by author Connilyn Cossette is one such book.

Counted With the Stars chronicles the Plagues of Egypt, the Exodus of the Israelites, and the first 50+ days of the Hebrew people out of Egypt, told through the eyes of Kiya, a young Egyptian girl sold into slavery.  Throughout her journey, Kiya comes to learn of Yahweh, and has to make a decision whether to follow Him in her heart as she follows Him with the Hebrews out of Egypt.  The author's foundational scripture for the story comes from Exodus 12:38.

Many other people went up with them, and also large droves of livestock, both flocks and herds.

For me, good Biblical fiction has three major characteristics.  First, it doesn't stray from the main story of the Biblical account. Second, it fills in missing pieces with details that are plausible. Third, it follows the Spirit of the Book.  The Bible is about Jesus, from cover to cover, so good Biblical fiction will be rich with themes of God's goodness and grace and love. For me, Counted With the Stars held all these characteristics.  

I really enjoyed this book, learning about the Egyptian customs, and seeing the events through Kiya’s eyes. Kiya's journey was not just a physical one, but also a spiritual one. It was interesting to go through it with her, to hear her thoughts as she questioned all she had ever known, a life with the many "gods" of Egypt. The struggle she experienced as she wondered who Yahweh really was, what kind of God He was-could she trust Him and surrender her life to Him, is one that I am sure many of us have experienced. It's a constant surrender, a letting go of our feelings and what our senses are telling us, in order to surrender to the truth of God's love for us.

One of my favorite passages speaks not only of the Hebrews, and the people who may have become part of the Hebrew nation in that journey, but what I interpreted to be Believers in Christ as well.

“Elohim, the Creator,” said Eben, “sowed the stars in the sky with his very words.  In Egypt we heard the tales of the stars, the stories of the Egyptian gods and their movements above.  But the true story is much more ancient than the Egypt of old.  It is not Nut who makes the stars twinkle in the heavens, but their Creator.  Elohim tells a story in star pictures that will resonate through the ages, unrolling like a great scroll overhead, telling us the path of Abraham’s sons.  We are walking that path now, and the story will continue long after our journey ends.”

In Galatians 3:29 we are told, “If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” (NIV)

Counted With the Stars is a wonderful book. There is a richness of God’s Word found within the pages, and a Spirit of grace and truth. The author's interpretation and description of the events in Exodus were thought provoking. I wish I could tell you about my favorite part but that would be an incredible spoiler!!

I recommend it to lovers of Biblical fiction, historical fiction, and those who want to travel on a journey to get to know God.

Many blessings to you as you read, and travel on your own journey to know Him better.

Beth

To learn more about the Out of Egypt series and author Connilyn Cossette, visit her here at www.connilyncossette.com.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for my review. The thoughts and opinions expressed here are entirely my own.