Thursday, March 15, 2018

Review ~ A Light on the Hill (Cities of Refuge, #1) by Connilyn Cossette

Paperback, 352 pages


Published February 6th 2018 by Bethany House Publishers

After being branded during the battle of Jericho, Moriyah has had no prospects for marriage--until now. She hopes to please the man, but things go horribly wrong and she is forced to flee for her life. Seeking safety at one of the Levitical cities of refuge, she is unprepared for the dangers she faces, and the enemies--and allies--she encounters on her way.

About the Author




Connilyn Cossette is the CBA-Bestselling author of the Out from Egypt Series from Bethany House Publishers. There is 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



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My Review
4 STARS!!!

A Light on the Hill  was an enjoyable read with some weighty moments that slammed me for a loop. Cossette has woven together a resplendent story of what it would have been like to flee for your life to a city of refuge in biblical times. It is extremely detailed, which I must confess bogged me down a few times, and I found myself skimming more than usual. In spite of that, I was mesmerized by Moriyah and the situation she is in. From the moment she meets Darek, their attraction to one another is palpable; their restraint admirable.


The history following the fall of Jericho is compelling. I felt the pull to stay in the story and experience the landscape in a new and terrifying way. The pagan temple practices were horrific and you know a scene is well-written when it literally makes you want to close your eyes. That is one thing I love about this authors writing skill. It is possible to be repulsed and fascinated at the same time with what she is describing. Do not let that be a deterrent for you, dear readers! History comes alive on the page! I highly recommend this book. It is a haunting yet beautiful rendering of Biblical historical fiction.

I was gifted a copy of the book from the publisher. I was not required to write a review. No compensation has been received.
~Happy Reading~


From God's Holy Word

Joshua 20:2-9 "Tell the Israelites to designate the cities of refuge, as I instructed you through Moses, so that anyone who kills a person accidentally and unintentionally may flee there and find protection from the avenger of blood. When they flee to one of these cities, they are to stand in the entrance of the city gate and state their case before the elders of that city. Then the elders are to admit the fugitive into their city and provide a place to live among them. If the avenger of blood comes in pursuit, the elders must not surrender the fugitive, because the fugitive killed their neighbor unintentionally and without malice aforethought. They are to stay in that city until they have stood trial before the assembly and until the death of the high priest who is serving at that time. Then they may go back to their own home in the town from which they fled."

So they set apart Kedesh in Galilee in the hill country of Naphtali, Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron) in the hill country of Judah. East of the Jordan (on the other side from Jericho) they designated Bezer in the wilderness on the plateau in the tribe of Reuben, Ramoth in Gilead in the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan in the tribe of Manasseh. Any of the Israelites or any foreigner residing among them who killed someone accidentally could flee to these designated cities and not be killed by the avenger of blood prior to standing trial before the assembly.

4 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. Thanks, Caryl!!! You're such a great supporter and encouragement to me. I do appreciate you taking time to leave a comment. :-)

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  2. Beautifully reviewed Anne, and I love that you posted the Scripture that obviously caught the eye of a very discerning author. And the meme is gorgeous!

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    1. Thanks, Rebecca! There were so many wonderful quoteables in the book.

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I am so delighted that you've taken time to come by and comment. Blessings for a joy-filled day!

1 Corinthians 1:3 ~ Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.