In the Depth of the Storm’s Shadow, Only Truth Can Light Her Way Having escaped Egypt with the other Hebrews during the Exodus, Shira is now living in freedom at the foot of Mt. Sinai, upon which rests the fiery glowing Cloud containing the shekinah glory of God. When the people disobey Yahweh and build a golden idol, the ensuing chaos gives Shira an unexpected opportunity to learn the arts of … opportunity to learn the arts of midwifery. Although her mother wishes for her to continue in the family weaving trade, Shira’s gifts shine brightest when she assists with deliveries. In defiance of her mother, Shira pursues her heart’s calling to become an apprentice midwife.
When a delivery goes horribly wrong, Shira finds herself bound to a man who betrayed her, the caretaker of three young children, and the target of a vengeful woman whose husband was killed by Shira’s people, the Levites. As contention between the Hebrew tribes and the foreigners fans the flames of another dangerous rebellion, Shira will come face-to-face with the heartbreak of her past that she has kept hidden for so long. How can she let go of all that has defined her to accept the love she’s denied herself and embrace who she truly is?
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Set during the tumultuous time of Israel’s beginning as a unified nation, Shadow of the Storm brings the life of the Hebrew tribes into sharp relief. Through the eyes of Shira, a woman still fighting the battles of her past, readers see these events firsthand through engrossing first-person narration. Shira’s insecurities make her a realistic, relatable character. My heart was stirred and found kinship with her; doubts and fears keep her from fully embracing her desire to be a midwife. Despite having a natural talent for it, her self-doubt and mistakes keep her from moving forward.
There are times where it feels like books were placed in my life exactly when I needed it. The story takes on a personal level, and I see myself in the character so strongly, that I know that the timing is no accident. This was completely and entirely my experience while reading Shadow of the Storm and discovering Shira’s story. It was a joy to see Kiya, Eben and Jumo again. The friendship between Shira and Kiya is definitely a highlight of the story, and I’m glad that the familial relationships didn’t get lost in the plot or any romantic elements. Ayal is an intriguing character – despite not knowing his true intentions and a shaky beginning, I found myself wanting his character to be constant.
Dvorah is one character that served a dual purpose for me. At first I wasn’t sure how I felt about the addition of another character’s perspective, but as the story continues, Cossette does something that not many authors accomplish – make an unlikable, deplorable character provoke empathy within me. I found myself reacting strongly to Dvorah’s decisions – and by strongly, I distinctly remember saying out loud to my husband that I wanted to punch her in the face…um, oops? Seriously though, any read that elicits such an emotion from me is a winner in my book.
In addition to providing a superb antagonist, Dvorah brought in an outsider perspective as well. I had honestly never really thought of how wild it would have been for so many people, from so many different backgrounds, would have functioned as a whole, while traveling through the desert. I suppose I never thought about the fact that, with the Hebrew tribes, some groups might have just been “tagging along,” for lack of a better phrase, because it was better than the life they left behind. Just because they were following Moses out of Egypt didn’t mean they left their prejudices and ingrained beliefs behind, nor did it mean that their beliefs aligned with the Hebrews. These differences and the issues that arose from them are fascinating and add a great element to the story.
This powerful story has everything I look for in a novel. I was held riveted by the plot, Shira’s character, and the tender romance. Most importantly, this is a faith-affirming story that reminds reader of how God uses trials and setbacks to bolster faith and keep our eyes set on Him. This is one of my favorite books of 2016, and I am so looking forward to book 3 in the Out from Egypt series, Wings of the Wind. I highly recommend Shadow of the Storm to readers who enjoy Biblical fiction and an immersive first-person narrative.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher, which I chose to review.
“There will always be storms. There will be loss in your life, sometimes devastating loss. But if you let the wind and the rain overcome you, then you will never fulfil the purpose for which you were born, the reason Yahweh gave you breath and brought you to this time, to this place. There will be times when there is nothing you can do but survive, to place one foot after the other into the driving rain. You can tuck your head under your wing for a while and wait out the storm. But you will fly again.”
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 loved the journey Shira took to discovering her purpose beyond what she’d grown up expecting and the love she finds—both in God and man—along the way. Couldn’t more highly recommend this book. It’s brilliant and you should read it.
Biblical fiction is one of my favorite genres! Ms. Cossette shares exquisite descriptions with vivid detail that brings the Hebrew’s story to life. It’s captivating and exciting drama!
Recommend to readers who enjoy Biblical fiction!
I purchased a copy. All views expressed are my honest opinion.
I was obsessed with this series before it even released and it has lived up to my expectations. The writing is evocative and pulls you to the base of Mt. Sinai. The research Cossette puts into each story is apparent and the characters are so easy to care about.
Living in the Shadow of God’s glory, Shira is trying to find her place in this new life. Longing for a family of her own, she finds contentment in her new calling as a midwife. With tendrils of disquiet winding through the camp, Shira fights to hold on the broken pieces of her life. Will she have the strength to turn them over to the Lord?
Shira was a favorite character since first meeting her in Counted With the Stars and I was so excited to finally unravel some of the hinted threads of her story. She has such a quiet strength, although she does not believe it of herself, and her struggle to navigate the new circumstances she finds herself in are captivating.
I’m eagerly awaiting the conclusion to this series so I can meet Alanah the Canaanite and Tobiah the Hebrew warrior. I can’t wait to read what’s next from this author.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
A very talented author creating wonderful stories that could have taken place in biblical times. Will read more by this author.
In Shadow of the Storm, Connilyn Cossette takes history and makes it “herstory.” A bold endeavor, Cossette captures a tumultuous period in Israel’s history through the eyes of several women. Penned within these pages is an account of their first year in the wilderness when manna began to rain from heaven, Ten Commandments were given, idols destroyed, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.
Under God’s care the fledgling nation is not only surviving, they are multiplying. Midwives like Reva urgently need new women to apprentice in their trade to keep up with the ever increasing number of births. Despite Reva’s encouragement and tutelage, Shira allows her fear and self-doubt to steer her away from her calling to midwifery. The way the author uses Shira’s story to draw attention to these stumbling blocks of faith was clever. Many women will empathize with Shira which should make for lively book club banter.
It was a comfort to have Kiya, Eben, and Jumo return in book 2. Although the men didn’t play as large of roles as they did in Counted With the Stars, the sisterly bond between Kiya and Shira forged even deeper roots. Futhermore, new characters like Ayal (Shira’s romantic interest) and Dvorah added depth while ushering in all sorts of dramatic twists!
Since finishing the book I’ve thought back on how, while camped at the base of Mt. Sinai, the multitude who’d fled Egypt were just beginning to learn what it meant to be a people set apart to God. They brought more than just personal items out of Egypt — their selfish habits, idols, and old grudges also made the trip. This book reminded me of how God uses storms (trials) to refine us, build our character, and keep us anchored to the Rock. Shadow of the Storm is a powerful story that I highly recommend!
Christian Shelf-Esteem received a book to facilitate this review. The views and opinions expressed are 100% honest and my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255 Guidelines, concerning the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising.
This is the Sequel novel. Cossette’s clean writing always captivates me and transports me to a time where Biblical experiences are real. As a child, these stories were not always as exciting as the television or movies I preferred because of the depth that I could see. In Shadow of the Storm, I could follow the portrayal of the challenges that a young woman in an Isrealite camp might have experienced. I was captivated by the protagonist’s struggle inwardly against her past and the struggle to do what she was called to be. I cannot wait to read Book 3.
Shadow of the Storm is book 2 in a series but can be read as a stand alone. If you love to read Biblical fiction with a touch of romance then you will love this book. Out From Egypt is the name of the series and its not your typical clean and sweet romance. It does get edgy but does not have bad language, no sex scenes but it does show the hardships and the suffering of the Jews. Counted With the Stars is the first in the series and starts about the time Moses returns to Egypt to talk Pharaoh into letting God’s children go. Shadow of the Storm begins at the foot of the mountain where Moses has gone to talk to God and receive the Ten Commandments. Connilyn Cossette will take you there and will touch you with the vividness of the hardships, the animosity of the different groups of people and races that came out of Egypt. I hated to put this book down (even though I had to run errands). I still finished it in one day.
Shira was a slave but and a character in Counted With the Stars but is the heroine in this book. Also, where they build the Ark of the Covenant. This book touched my heart and emotions. I felt like I had been transported back to the times of Moses, Aaron, the children of Israel and the sights, sounds and smells were vivid.
I ordered this series through a local bookstore based a review I read on a blog. Halfway through the first book I ordered the next two. I’ve read over a 100 pages this morning when I started the book. Will probably finish it sometime today (340 pages). No one asked me to read & review this book. When an author impresses me with their writing style, the depth of the research and making the characters come alive then I will leave a review. I told my indy bookstore to add Connilyn Cossette to my favorite authors list. When I do this the bookstore will pre-order my favorite authors’ books as soon as they have a release date. Connilyn has become one of my top 10 favorite authors & I read my first book by her in May. I highly recommend this amazing author.