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 … 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.
more
I did something I know better than do – I left home without a book nor my kindle. Absolutely a No No. However, I’m glad I did. I knew I would be waiting for awhile on someone. Went to B&N and saw this book. I had never read Connilyn Cossette’s books before but I bought this one and I can honestly say “Its Terrific!”. This book takes place after Joshua leads the Children of Israel into the Promised Land. The hardships, the adherence to the laws are shown. Moriyah was captured and was in Jericho when the walls fell. She was tied to a post being branded as a temple priestess against everything that she believed in. After all, she was raised as a Jew and at 13 she was a slave and had no choice. Her life after the fall and her return to her family tells of the trials she went through, why no one would have her as a wife and why she always wore a veil. When she is betroth she finds he is replused by her. The drama picks up from there. This book will touch your heart, will keep you up late at night and turning pages to see what happens next.
I bought this book two days ago and no one asked me to write this review. All opinions are my own and I loved this book. Drama, suspense, romance, wonderful characters and I’m definitely buying more books by this fabulous author. Wonderful book.
I enjoyed listening to the audio version of A Light On the Hill! This was my first Connilyn Cossette novel, and it definitely won’t be my last. It was a fast paced story with meaningful themes and strong characters. Highly recommended!
A Light on the Hill (2018) by Connilyn Cossette is the first novel in her Cities of Refuge series. This book comes in all forms including eBook, and is 323 pages in length. With a full-time job and a very busy six-year old at home, this novel took me several days to read (it was an insanely busy week this week!). I purchased a copy of this novel to review from Amazon on January 30, 2018. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. I give A Light on the Hill 5+++++ STARS. This novel is Biblical Christian Fiction.
Connilyn Cossette is, without a doubt, one of the best Biblical fiction authors of our time. Her writing is flawless, her research is tremendously in-depth, and her ability to weave a fascinating and realistic story every time sets her apart. Connilyn Cossette has definitely been blessed by God with immense writing prowess, which is deftly illustrated in her fourth novel, A Light on the Hill.
When I was in prayer this morning asking God for guidance in writing this review, I was immediately flooded by images of the one scar I have that has bothered me. I actually have many scars — life has been a bit rough on me — but I see the majority of my scars as war wounds. They remind me of all that God has brought me through. This one scar does remind me of what God has done to save me, but it also reminds me every now and then of my shortcomings as a woman. The scar I’m talking about is my emergency c-section scar. I won’t get into the gory details about what happened on the day my daughter was born, but I will tell you that on the day Bella was born I told that I could NEVER have children ever again. At the time, so many bad, scary things were happening that never getting pregnant again sounded like an exceptionally great idea to me.
I’m actually quite OK that God meant for me to be a mommy to only one child. I know I am super blessed to be Bella’s mommy. But sometimes I see my scar and I’m reminded of my extreme failure as a woman. I cannot carry a baby to term. My own daughter could only make it to 28 weeks. There is a broken timer inside of me that will not allow me to safely get to 40 weeks with a child. The difficult part is that I have been surrounded by highly fertile women my whole life — my grandma had four healthy babies, my mother and aunt had four healthy babies each, and my sister had three healthy babies. I genuinely believed that I would be just like them and follow in their fertile footsteps. But that was not to be.
Why am I sharing this? What does any of this have to do with A Light on the Hill? Moriyah, the heroine of A Light on the Hill, also has a scar that has changed the way she sees and values herself. At the start of this novel, Moriyah has basically self-exiled herself to her home. She is never without her veil, even within her house, and hides from everyone — including God! But at a very crucial point in the novel, Moriyah has a change in perspective. This is my most favorite theme in the whole story.
At one point in her life, Moriyah’s wounded pride and broken spirit convinced her that hiding from everyone was her best option. Moriyah was filled with shame because of her scar and what it represented. Her real self became hidden in plain sight, which let the bad win. She didn’t stand up for herself, ask God what He wanted her to do, or consult with the family He gave her. Instead, Moriyah took matters into her own hands and locked herself away into a tower of her own making believing that God had abandoned her. But she eventually comes to realize that “perhaps it was not Yahweh who had stopped whispering to her heart…but, [rather it was she] who had built a wall” between herself and God (183). As soon as Moriyah changes her perspective, she feels God’s very present presence. It’s the most beautiful moment in the entire book!
This amazing novel asks us readers to consider our own need for perspective changes. For a long while after my daughter’s scary birth, I did feel like a veritable loser of a woman. I truly believed that God had abandoned me and unfairly locked up my stupid womb. All I could feel was a complete and terrorizing sense of fear. And, I hated my scar. I loathed it! But then one day my perspective changed, just as Moriyah’s did. God hadn’t abandoned me. God had absolutely saved me. I should be dead — not one of my doctors could understand or tell me how I survived the night Bella was born. BUT GOD!!! God can explain it — He saved me. Now when I look at my scar I am reminded of His success, of His defeat over death again. God is so good ALL the time, and my scar reminds me of this daily.
This one theme doesn’t even begin to cover the depth that exists within the pages of A Light on the Hill. I have like 22 more marked pages throughout this book that I would love to discuss, but I won’t. Truly, one review could never do this book justice. You have to read this beautiful book for yourself! If you can’t tell, I highly recommend this book. I am so blessed to have read it, and I know you will be, too!
A Light on the Hill is the first book in Connilyn Cossette’s new Cities of Refuge series. Adventurous and compelling, this book is rich in depth and meaning. As the story unfolds, the main characters find it necessary to embark on a perilous journey. This journey not only tests them physically, but also provides ample opportunities for self-discovery, healing, and redemption. More than simply leading them from one place to another, this journey profoundly shapes their hearts and defines their futures. A Light on the Hill is a well-crafted story of faith, perseverance, courage, and love that abounds with thoughtful descriptions that provide a fresh perspective on ancient settings and themes.
Within A Light on the Hill, Ms. Cossette shows once again the phenomenal nature of her writing talent as she draws the reader fully into the story with her incredibly immersive style of writing. Her attention to sensory details makes sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and textures vivid and real. A Light on the Hill invites the reader to savor paragraphs, linger over phrases, and delight in words, proving once again that a novel by Ms. Cossette is not merely read; it is experienced.
A Light on the Hill is an engaging work of Biblical fiction that shines brightly with creativity inspired by thorough research and a sincere respect for both history and the Bible. It is an enthralling novel that captivates, entertains, and inspires. I recommend it wholeheartedly.
*I was given a copy of this book from the publisher. A review was not required. The review I have written contains opinions that are entirely my own.
4.5 star TOP PICK RT Book Review
I loved Moriyah’s story! She is courageous and compassionate. Her journey from being marred as a captive in Jericho to finding refuge in Kedesh from a horrific accident is wrought with much danger, soul searching and bravery.
The parallel between the city of refuge and Christ our Refuge from sin is beautifully expressed in this captivating novel! May this revelation go deep in our spirits and take root.
Recommend to readers who enjoy Biblical fiction.
I purchased a copy. All views expressed are my honest opinion.
This book was absolutely beautifully written and left me with such a bigger view of God and his incredible grace and love for his people. I’d never thought much about the Cities of Refuge or what it would have been like to be one of those who needed them (and what it meant for their families), hence this was a real eye-opener to those, but I also loved Moriyah’s journey and the strength she showed throughout it. Really amazing and a great beginning to a new series.
Overall I really enjoyed this book. Connilyn Cosette’s writing is always a pleasure to read and she does a great job story telling.
This story follows Moriyah as she flees her home after a horrible accident, and is seeking shelter in one of the cities of refuge. Some of my favorite parts of the book are how loyal her escorts are. They are friends of her father and they never waiver in their commitment to getting her to safety. Yuval in particular is such a loveable character. I found myself really rooting for the side characters just as much as the main ones. This book was well done and I look forward to continuing the story.
My one and only caveat is that this book is much more of a romance than I thought it was going to be. I still enjoyed it and recommend it, but would like to put that out there so people know what they are getting.
This is my first read by Connilyn Cossette and not all that interested in Christian or Biblical fiction, but I really loved reading this book. Cosette is a very skilled and talented writer and once I finally sat down and gave this book all my attention I couldn’t stop reading.
I really loved Moriyah and Darek. Moriyah had a hard life being branded and later accused of murder. She has hidden and felt almost ostracized by those around her and it was heartbreaking because she was such a kind and caring person. Darek ended up being so much more than I thought. He came off so strong at first as he hunted down Moriyah to get justice for his nephews. He was angry with her, but was willing to help her get a fair trial despite the fact that his brother wanted her dead before that could happen. But as they travel together to the city of refuge Moriyah and Darek must depend on each other and we see this really beautiful relationship build.
It is on their travels that I loved this book the most. We see Moriyah have to lie and play and a part to stay as safe as possible. She meets some very wonderful and dangerous people along the way. But more than that, we see her confidence, power, strength, and faith empower her survival. There are also some vulnerabilities we see that she opens up to Darek about and the absolutely beautiful in which he sees her helps untie the blindfold and insecurity she carried with her.
All in all, I love this book so much and can’t wait to read the other books in this series and by this author. Even if this is not your typical genre, I think you’ll have a hard time putting this book down.
4.5 stars
Biblical-era fiction from the time of Joshua. Biblical characters are present in this book but are not the main characters.
Well-written, interesting, and with plenty of encouragement to follow the Lord.
This was my first Connilyn Cossette book and I can’t wait to enjoy more of her books. She is a fabulous writer. I did listen on audio and the narrator, Rachel Botchan was also fabulous. I may go ahead and obtain the paper copy sometime, too though, because there are several passages that I’d like to read again.
Honestly, I wasn’t sure if I’d enjoy the genre, but I could hardly wait for each time I got to pick up the story. It’s an exciting, wonderful read.
Some Biblical Fiction novels focus on people from the Bible you’d recognize; like Ruth, Esther, Sarah, etc. Then there are some that set fictional characters in a Biblical setting, and that’s the structure of A Light On The Hill by Connilyn Cossette. With no particular story from the Bible to set the course, the author was able to pick a time period, a setting, and teach the Word through a work of fiction that related redemption to real life in a beautiful way.
A Light On The Hill begins a brand new series by Connilyn Cossette called the “Cities of Refuge” Series. The cities of refuge were established in the time of Joshua when Israel crossed the Jordan and entered the promised land. Their purpose? To protect an Israelite who accidentally killed someone. In ancient Israel, the Law was eye for eye, tooth for tooth and life for life. Even if death was an accident with no preconceived intent, the family of the deceased could avenge their relative’s death by killing the person who did it…even if they were innocent. But, if the accidental manslayer could get to a city of refuge first, they could have a trial before the priest and determine if the death was on purpose or not. If found that they did kill someone on accident, they had to live in the city of refuge until the High Priest died, then they could return home without fear. So, the question that’s begging to be asked… “How do you accidentally kill someone?”
In the Bible, there are examples of how someone could possibly injure another that they died. But, most of the examples given are of men working together. You know, if you’re cutting down a tree and it falls on someone…. that kind of stuff. Yet, there’s not much said about women. And that makes A Light On The Hill so interesting. The author crafted a believable story of how Moriyah, the heroine, accidentally poisoned two boys by making dinner one night. Did I mention that she was promised to their father as his second wife? And, did I mention she was in love with someone else? This propels Moriyah on a long journey (guided by her father’s steward and a family servant) to a city of refuge.
I couldn’t get enough of this story! It was the perfect blend of love, suspense and a little bit of Bible Study thrown in for good measure. Because the characters were a work of the author’s imagination, their stories were free to growth and twist with a plot that wasn’t constrained by a familiar Bible story. Which is probably why I liked it so much – I had no idea how the story was going to end! LOL! I also loved how the heroine, Moriyah, grew from being a person who was afraid of what others thought of her to someone who became convicted that she must follow the instructions given in the Law of Yahweh. After all, once she met up with her true love on the way to the city of refuge, why couldn’t they just run off together? Leave Israel and make a home in another country? That question was brought up in the story and the answer reminds us of why we, in today’s world, still follow the Lord in hard times – because it’s what His Word tells us to do. We’re blessed when we obey. Now, before I sound too religiously stuffy, I must say I fell in love with how the author ended the book by blessing Moriyah in a way she never thought possible. God is good!
Conclusion: If you’ve ever read about the cities of refuge in the Old Testament, it’s probably been a few verses listing the names of each city and the instructions given for those who had the need to flee there. Because of their brief mention in Scripture, they’re not preached on much in church. I for one, have never even heard a sermon preached on the cities of refuge! That’s what attracted me to this series and I wasn’t disappointed. I learned so much from this book! I won’t go into every detail, but I will touch on this one thing. Every time I came across the cities of refuge in my Bible reading, I always wondered, “Why did the manslayer get to go free after the High Priest died?” I mean, if you’re going to let them go free, why not after so many years or something like that? Well, it totally “clicked” for me during the chapter of Moriyah’s trial when the High Priest, Eleazar, said, “As Yehoshua stated, when my life ends, you will be set free from the city of refuge. You may return to your home and your family. The blood avenger will no longer legally have the right to your life. Your blood-debt will be atoned for by my death. Washed away, as if it never happened.” (page 292) Right then, it all made sense. The High Priest is a picture of Jesus, who pays for our freedom by His death. The avenger, the Devil, then has no right to your life (salvation)! All that from a novel!
In closing, I loved this book and can’t wait for the second in the series to release. If you enjoy Biblical Fiction, you can’t go wrong with A Light On The Hill. As if you couldn’t already tell, I highly recommend it! (…and anything Connilyn Cossette writes.) *wink*
A beautiful tale of self love and acceptance set in the newly conquered Promised Land. Moriyah is a familiar face to those who have read Cossette’s Out of Egypt series. She has struggled to find her place after the horrors she witnessed during the fall of Jericho and when a deadly accident shatters her fragile world she has no choice but to flee, making her way to one of the newly appointed Levitical cities of refuge. This was an enthralling read and an exciting start to a new series.
So beautiful! Thoroughly enjoyed this take on the cities of refuge.
I just couldn’t put this story down! Connilyn Cossette writes some of the best inspirational biblical fiction that I have ever read. I absolutely loved her “Out from Egypt” books, so I am ecstatic that she wrote a new series!
Page by page, Connilyn Cossette weaves Moriyah’s story of trauma, shame, guilt, and fears into a beautiful narrative that makes you feel as if you are transported right into the middle of the book. Moriyah becomes your closest friend. The characters in the story are so personable and real that I could see them in my mind’s eye.
Every one of Connilyn Cossette’s books will do more than take you on a journey. Her books blossom in me a joy and wonder for the Creator’s unending and unfailing love. The history, geography, and culture of the Old Testament comes alive in every story she tells. “A Light on the Hill” will transport you to another time and place…you won’t want it to end!
I received an advance copy from the publisher; the opinions in this review are my own.
Connilyn Cossette has again succeeded in drawing me into another time and culture. It is a rich story demonstrating unconditional love. Look at the beautiful book cover. Even without it, Cossette’s descriptions of clothing, surroundings and emotions bring the characters to life. The central characters are Rivkah, a young recent widow and Malakhi, her husbands brother. Rivkahs father, the head priest of their city, has decided she will marry Malakhi. She doesn’t even like Malakhi, remembering their childhood days and how he had treated her badly. She feels like she is in prison and is determined to escape. Rivkah meets a young woman, Nessa. Nessas father has told her she will marry and she is not happy about it. A common bond it seems. Nessa convinces Rivkah to sneak out to a festival in another town. Is this temporary or the escape Rivkah had wished for? Has she turned her back on her family and heritage? There are twists and turns and for me plenty of oohs and aahs as Rivkah and Malakhi mature and their journey unfolds. I eagerly await the next book in this series.
I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.
For some reason, Biblical fiction is not my go-to genre. But, since giving her first a try, I can’t read one of Connilyn Cosette’s books without fangirling. I know I need to put everything on hold because I’ll be useless until I finish them.
Moriyah has been branded by shame, and in protection of her family’s honour, and her pride, she’s hidden inside her home for seven years. Still, as anyone, she has dreams, for her land, her family and her future. Dreams which include finding someone who can see beyond the mark and truly love her. She believes this might come true when her father announces he has found a man willing to marry her; soon, though, even this possibility is shattered when she finds out he is actually looking forward to the promise of her land despite a marred wife. In obedience to her father, Moriyah complies to his plans and works to be a dutiful wife, even if this shall prove to be more hurtful than she ever imagined. However, after a grotesque incident, Moriyah is forced to flee to a city of refuge, in a journey full of frustration, confusion, and fear.
The plot was exquisitely done and the characters easily charmed there way around my heart. The law was explained in such humbling way, showing the appalling consequences of sin and its rightful condemnation, while still highlighting that merciful justice exists, even for the worst of sinners. And, truth be told, these sinners are us, who forget the law, ignore Yahweh’s voice and dive into a pool of self-pity and pride. But oh the overflowing joy when we receive favor, undeserved and unmerited, only by grace.
During her flight, Moriyah will be forced to go through enemy territory, face lions and bandits, as well as trust one set out to kill her. Nevertheless, she might just learn what it means to be sought after and loved, even when our hearts have turned away from truth and holiness, and that there is no way to love anything more than the One who showed us the greatest kindness, who uses our ashes and scars to serve others and bring healing rather than being an evidence of indignity. If we only open our eyes to see and our hearts to receive this unconditional love we will discover there is no limitation if we have faith.
I’m very much looking forward to the next book.
A Light on the Hill is the first book in Connilyn Cossette’s new Cities of Refuge series. I think some of the characters featured in her previous Out from Egypt series, Counted with the Stars, Shadow of the Storm, and Wings of the Wind. I haven’t read any of the Out of Egypt series, but didn’t feel I missed anything.
A Light on the Hill is an insight into the life and culture of the times of the Old Testament—in this case, the years after the nation of Israel first arrived in the Promised Land under the leadership of Joshua. And it does point to Jesus. The cities of refuge represented a revolutionary idea. An accused criminal could seek and gain mercy, instead of being subject to the cultural retribution of an eye for an eye, a life for a life.
But the theme of A Light on the Hill is definitely Christian. Justice, or mercy? Love, or hate? Forgiveness, or retribution? While Biblical fiction isn’t Christian fiction per se, good Biblical fiction reinforces the fact the Bible is one story, with the Old Testament foreshadowing the New Testament. This is additionally reinforced by the main characters, most of whom have chosen to follow Yahweh rather than being born Hebrew.
I don’t read a lot of Biblical fiction. It seemed to fall out of favour for a while, and my interest got pulled in other genre directions. But A Light on the Hill easily equals those early Biblical fiction stories I read from authors like Francine Rivers and Angela Hunt.
The story does take a while to get going—the first quarter is background, introducing the characters and setting up the situation that will force Moriyah to flee for her life. However, even this background is an interesting and necessary introduction to life in Shiloh in the early days of Israel.
The writing is strong. It’s an unusual choice to write historical fiction in first person, but it works because it takes us deep into Moriyah’s mind, and that enables us to relate to her. After all, we all have hidden scars of one sort or another. The characters are well-drawn, and the plot is full of suspense as we journey with Moriyah, hoping she’ll reach her objective, yet worried she won’t.
A Light on the Hill a story of judgement as the people of Shiloh judge Moriyah based on her external appearance to the point she hides away from people and from life. It’s also the story of mercy, as Yahweh has already established the means for Morihay to be accepted and saved.
Recommended for fans of Biblical fiction, or for those who would like to better understand the times of the Bible. Thanks to Bethany House and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.
I enjoyed reading a book that covers a topic that is not discussed much, the Refuge Cities from the Old Testament. While written as a fictional book, this book has helped me to understand the point behind the refuge cities and think more about God, sin, and His plan to deal with sin.
As a story, it was very entertaining and kept me interested the whole way through.
So glad to start the new Cities of Refuge series. Based on this book, I’m going to be counting down to the next book. This promises to be as wonderful as her Out of Egypt series. I’ve learned so much about the cultures of that time and have discovered many illustrations of God’s care for His people. Thank you Connilyn for writing these books.