I received a complimentary copy of this book from The Publisher and was under no obligation to post a review. No compensation was received for sharing this review and all opinions are my own.
Series: Cities of Refuge #1
Published by Baker Books on February 6th, 2018
Source: The Publisher
Genres: Ancient World, Christian, Fiction, Historical, Romance
Pages: 336
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.
Note: Kristin reads and reviews both Christian and secular fiction on A Simply Enchanted Life. Out of respect for my readers, I am including a content review. This content review will help you decide whether this book is suitable for you.
Content Review:
Christian or Secular: Christian
Profanity: None
Sex: None
Violence: Mild
Trigger None
Disclosure: The word “whore” is used in this book as an insult. A girl shows signs of abuse on her arms. The book is not graphic in nature and is suitable for teens and adults alike.
A Light on the Hill is book #1 in the (Cities of Refuge #1) series by Connilyn Cossette. Book two in the series, Shelter of the Most High is expected to release in 2018— the cover is forthcoming.
A Light on the Hill continues with Moriyah’s story—the young woman who was branded at the end of the third book in the Out from Egypt series, Wings of the Wind. It isn’t necessary to have read the Out from Egypt series to enjoy this book but I strongly suggest doing so. You’ll understand Moriyah better and have more of a bond with her.
There isn’t a thing that I disliked about this book. For starters, the cover is one of the prettiest that I’ve ever seen. I was fascinated by the sky, the head covering that I knew was meant to mask Moriyah’s disfigured face and the city placed behind her. I’m not kidding—this cover is one of the most beautiful covers I’ve ever seen. In fact—I might say it IS the most beautiful cover I’ve ever seen! I know, what is on the cover doesn’t really count for anything but I can’t help it. This. Cover. Is. Amazing! So amazing that I seriously just broke my words to emphasize them—this is serious y’all because I hate it when people do that! Well, I did…until I just did it.
Anyway, back to the important stuff—what’s inside the book. This story was fascinating and gripping. The action was just right, the romance was swoon-worthy…I’m not kidding. Connilyn Cossette writes these amazingly strong male characters that I can’t help but crush on. I’m kinda embarrassed to admit this but I can’t help it! She’s so beautifully descriptive that I fall in love with the characters and the words. Doesn’t this just make your heart stop?
I could see every nuance within his eyes, the way the brown swirled with green and gold and even the slight ring of blue that encircled all of it as he held me captive within his gaze
AHHHHHH! Okay, enough fangirling, let’s talk about the plot. I grew up in church and I’ve heard my pastor preach many times about the cities of refuge and how they were a symbol of redemption in Christ. For the first time, I considered the people who would have taken refuge within their walls. I had never added the human element and some of the concepts of the cities were somewhat was lost on me—until this book. I understood them on an intellectual level but it was so impersonal to me. Connilyn Cossette brought to life for me the use of these cities and the people who may have sought refuge within their walls. She presented them to me in a way that suddenly made sense—she gave me a character that I could empathize with. A character that I traveled with, agonizing with her every step of the way as she fled to the safety of Kedesh.
Moriyah’s character and this book taught me so much. About accepting myself, my self-worth and how I shouldn’t let physical problems define who I am. I am loved. I am special to God. I am His. He is my redeemer.
This book was a beautifully woven tale of love, redemption, grace, and acceptance. I’m tempted to say that it is my favorite out of the four the author has written. I so identified with Moriyah.
If you’re looking for books to help you understand the geography, the culture and the social standards of the Bible; I would definitely suggest A Light on the Hill.
About Connilyn Cossette
Connilyn Cossette is the author of the Out from Egypt Series with Bethany House Publishers. When she is not homeschooling her two sweet kiddos (with a full pot of coffee at hand), Connilyn is scribbling notes on scraps of paper, mumbling about her imaginary friends, and reading obscure out-of-print history books. Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, she now lives in Texas where she loves the people but misses mountains, tall trees and barefoot-soft green grass. There is not much she likes better than digging into the rich, ancient world of the Bible, discovering new gems of grace that point to Jesus, and weaving them into fiction. Connect with her at www.ConnilynCossette.com
I so glad you loved it as much as you hoped.
Thank you! I really did!
This sounds like a wonderful read! I love it when a Christian novel speaks to you and gives you characters that you can identify with. I’m putting this on my TBR!
It is such a good read!
It was great. I hope you love it!