Title: A Light on the Hill
Author: Connilyn Cossette
Publisher: Bethany House
Pages: 352
ISBN: 978-0-7642-1986-3
Publication Date: February 6th, 2018

Synopsis:

 Though Israel has found relative peace, Moriyah has yet to find her own. Attempting to avoid the scorn of her community, she's spent the last seven years hiding behind the veil she wears. Underneath her covering, her face is branded with the mark of the Canaanite gods, a shameful reminder of her past captivity in Jericho and an assurance that no man will ever want to marry her.
 When her father finds a widower who needs a mother for his two sons, her hopes rise. But when their introduction goes horribly wrong, Moriyah is forced to flee for her life. 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.

Oh, my goodness! Where do I begin with this story?

Connilyn Cossette is an author I watch new releases for. Each story grows on the next and the world just blossom.

A Light on a Hill is the first of this new series, Cities of Refuge. It is a bit of spin off from her previous series, but still stands alone. If you haven't read any of the previous books, it's ok, but, you will want to read her other books.

This story follows Moriyah. She is a young woman who has a very nerve racking experience as a teenager. The experienced changed her and made her want to be reclusive, however, her father wants her to be looked after. She wants to be an obidiant daughter, but with her life, she is hesitant. You can feel what she feels as you read this story. There is so much newness she has to go through. In all of it, her faith grows and her passion for those she cares about remains strong. Following Moriyah through it all was a great journey.

With the incidences that occur in this story, it kept me on the edge of my seat. Following Moriyah through these new lands of Israel was very interesting. We know about the walls of Jericho that fell down, but what happened after that? Connilyn Cossette took the information that the Bible provided and the research she did shines through. Her characters jump off the page. You want to route for certain ones, and then hope for others to do something else.

The character introduced into this story were great! It offered new eyes to known Biblical stories.

I honestly can't wait for the next book in this series to come out! If you are a fan of Biblical fiction, this is a book you can't miss.

On a side note, I bought, in addition to the review copy I was given, the audio book. The narrator was phenomenal and kept the story moving with a wonderful reading.

Too Read!
5 out of 5

About the Author:
When she is not homeschooling her two sweet kids (with a full pot of coffee at hand), bestselling author Connilyn Cossette is scribbling notes on spare paper, mumbling about her imaginary friends, and reading obscure, out-of-print history books. There is nothing she likes better than digging into the rich, ancient world of the Bible and uncovering buried gems of grace that point toward Jesus. Her novel Counted With the Starswon the 2013 Frasier Contest and was a semifinalist in the 2013 ACFW Genesis Contest. Although a Pacific Northwest native, she now lives near Dallas, Texas. 

Connect with her at www.connilyncossette.com.


Thank you to the Author, I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

Title: Shelter of the Most High
Author: Connilyn Cossette
Publisher: Bethany House
Pages: 352
ISBN: 9780764219870
Publication Date: October 2nd, 2018

About the Book:

The daughter of a pagan high priest, Sofea finds solace from her troubles in the freedom of the ocean. But when marauders attack her village on the island of Sicily, she and her cousin are taken across the sea to the shores of Canaan.

Eitan has lived in Kedesh, a City of Refuge, for the last eleven years, haunted by a tragedy in his childhood and chafing at the boundaries placed on him. He is immediately captivated by Sofea, but revealing his most guarded secret could mean drawing her into the danger of his past.

As threats from outside the walls loom and traitors are uncovered within, Sofea and Eitan are plunged into the midst of a murder plot. Will they break free from the shackles of the past in time to uncover the betrayal and save their lives and the lives of those they love?

My Thoughts:
Connilyn Cossette is an author who I have followed since her first book, Counted with the Stars, came out. With each story she has told, the more detailed and emotionally involved I have gotten and it has just been a fabulous journey!

We were introduced to Eitan in the first book of Cities of Refuge series, A Light on the Hill, when he was a boy. He has now grown into a young man, who has learned a lot of things and still has a desire to do more. He has a stubborn streak that has been both good and bad. We see what the start of living in Kedesh was like for him when he moved there with Moriyah. You can check out A Light on the Hill for all of Moriyah's story, I promise to not spoil it for you here. ;-)

Sofea, goodness, when we are introduced to her, she is a carefree young woman, enjoying the waves and her village with her cousin. That changes however, very quickly. Her life as she knows it has been stripped from her. The journey to Kedesh is one of pain for her and her cousin. She is a woman in a strange land and doesn't know the tongue.

Eitan and Sofea are each broken in their own way. They each have a lot to learn. They also both learn a lot about their trust and faith in God.

This story hooked me from the beginning. I love the continuation of this series and the growth of the characters and keeping up with the ones we have fallen in love with all ready. It is the perfect mix. Seeing broken people and the struggles they face and the strength and hope that comes from it, it something that you really can't get enough of.

Connilyn Cossette, does an amazing job of presenting these Old Testament settings and bringing them to life. The research she has done shines through. She has stuck to the text, but has brought it to a new light with her characters. The information she has written about has made me want to look further into this time and settings.

This was a fabulous book, and I honestly can't wait to read book 3, Until the Mountains Fall, due out in July 2019.

I was able to listen to this story on Audible as well as read the book. I was thrilled to see that the previous narrator was back to continue the performance of this story. She was able to really bring some emotion in to her reading and made it pop.

5 out of 5

About the Author:
When she is not homeschooling her two sweet kids (with a full pot of coffee at hand), bestselling author Connilyn Cossette is scribbling notes on spare paper, mumbling about her imaginary friends, and reading obscure, out-of-print history books. There is nothing she likes better than digging into the rich, ancient world of the Bible and uncovering buried gems of grace that point toward Jesus. Her novel Counted With the Stars won the 2013 Frasier Contest and was a semifinalist in the 2013 ACFW Genesis Contest. Although a Pacific Northwest native, she now lives near Dallas, Texas.

Connect with her at www.connilyncossette.com.



Thank you to the author, I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for Crazy for You by Michelle Sass Aleckson presented by Susan May Warren, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: Crazy for You 
Series: Deep Haven Collection #3
Author: Michelle Sass Aleckson presented by Susan May Warren
Publisher: Sunrise Publishing
Release Date: May 25, 2021
Genre: Christian Contemporary Romance

The problem with being related to everyone in town is that there is no one left to date…until now…but will this outsider survive his family?

Former soldier Veronica “Ronnie” Morales isn’t going to let her kid brother, Tiago, get pulled into the gangs of Minneapolis, so, seeking safety and a fresh start, she heads to sleepy Deep Haven on the north shore of Minnesota. She’s hoping to put down roots as the paramedic for the new Crisis Response Team, but it’s not easy to be the town outsider. 

Fire Chief Peter Dahlquist is a peacemaker—he has to be. After he’s related to both of the Deep Haven dynasties – the Zimmermans and the Dahlquists, Deep Haven’s version of the Hatfields and the McCoys. Worse, Peter is the holdout vote for a landmark project, which also makes him the loneliest guy in town when both sides demand that he pick sides. The only one who seems to understand his plight is the newcomer in town…his pretty, street-tough paramedic. 

When Tiago finds himself caught up in small town shenanigans and the town blames Ronnie for tragedy, Peter is forced to pick sides. But will his choice cost him the home—and the woman—he loves? 

Title: The Baron's Honourable Daughter 
Author: Lynn Morris
Publisher: FaithWords
Publication Date: May 6th, 2014

Bestselling author Lynn Morris weaves an inspirational Regency era romance rich in period detail.

When her stepfather suddenly dies, Valeria Segrave finds she must take charge of her grieving mother and the vast estate which now belongs to her six-year-old half brother, the new Earl of Maledon. Though capable, Valeria is frustrated to find each day brings a new struggle as she tries to establish her authority with servants, stewards, and solicitors-all men. As a young woman with no blood relation to the earl, they are all too ready to dismiss her.

Much to her chagrin, she must rely on the assistance of her stepfather's distant kinsman, Alastair, Lord Hylton. He is handsome and noble, and Valeria senses under the veneer of his gentlemanly behavior that she never measures up to his expectations of a refined lady. In light of that, accepting his help and feeling under a burden of gratitude to him is almost unbearable. Even when Valeria leaves the country estate for the glittering London Season, where she gets into a series of escapades, Lord Hylton is always there to witness, criticize, and correct her behavior. But if Alastair insists on engaging in a battle of wits and wills with the lively Valeria, she'll stop at nothing to prove that he's met his match.

Title: Daisies are Forever
Author: Liz Tolsma
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Publication Date: May 6th, 2014

Gisela must hold on to hope and love despite all odds in the midst of a war-torn country.

Gisela Cramer is an American living in eastern Germany with her cousin Ella Reinhardt. When the Red Army invades, they must leave their home to escape to safety in Berlin.

However, Ella is a nurse and refuses to leave, sending her young daughters with Gisela. During their journey, Gisela meets Mitch Edwards, an escaped British POW. She pretends she is his wife in order to preserve his safety among other Germans, especially one wounded German soldier, Kurt, who has suspicions about Mitch's identity. Kurt also has feelings for Gisela and tries to uncover the truth about her "marriage."

Their journey to Gisela's mother in Berlin is riddled with tragedy and hardship, but they strive to keep Ella's daughters safe so they can reunite with their mother. During the journey Gisela and Mitch begin to develop feelings for one another beyond friendship. They reach Berlin, but their struggles are far from over. Gisela and Mitch must learn to live for the day and find hope in the darkest of circumstances.

In this moving, historically accurate portrayal of WWII Germany, the characters learn that, even with destruction all around them, some things last forever.

Title: Four Weddings & a Kiss
Author: Margaret Brownley, Debra Clopton, Mary Connealy, and Robin Lee Hatcher
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Publication Date: June 10th, 2014

In 1885 five western preachers sit around a campfire talking about unlikely couples they've seen God bring together.

“Spitfire Sweetheart” by Mary Connealy

Maizy Place is an unruly tomboy. When she causes an accident, injuring neighbor Rylan Carstens, she becomes his unlikely caregiver. Rylan has never noticed how pretty his infuriating neighbor is, and he never expected to fall in love.

“Love Letter to the Editor” by Robin Lee Hatcher

Molly Everton is the outspoken daughter of the town newspaper's owner. When her father brings in an outsider to be editor, she tries to drive him out of town. But Jack Ludgrove is not intimidated. He’s resolved to change Molly's mind about him—as an editor and as a man.

“A Cowboy for Katie” by Debra Clopton

Katie Pearl is uninterested in men and love. But she needs help on her ranch and hires Thad Rayburn, a wandering cowboy looking to make a buck. Will Thad change Katie’s mind?

“Saving Grace” by Margaret Brownley

Grace Davenport is either the unluckiest woman alive—or a killer. When her third husband is found dead, Grace is arrested. Attorney Brock Daniels isn't interested in the case—until he meets Grace. Only a miracle will prove her innocence, but the joining of two lonely hearts may be their saving grace.

 Title: Lizzy & Jane
Author: Katherine Reay
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Publication Date: October 2014

Lizzy and Jane never saw eye to eye. But when illness brings them together, they discover they may be more like Austen’s famous sisters after all.

Lizzy was only a teenager when her mother died of cancer. Shortly after, Lizzy fled from her home, her family, and her cherished nickname. After working tirelessly to hone her gift of creating magic in the kitchen, Elizabeth has climbed the culinary ladder to become the head chef of her own New York restaurant, Feast. But as her magic begins to elude her, Paul, Feast’s financial backer, brings in someone to share her responsibilities and her kitchen. So Elizabeth flees again.

In a desperate attempt to reconnect with her gift, Elizabeth returns home. But her plans are derailed when she learns that her estranged sister, Jane, is battling cancer. Elizabeth surprises everyone—including herself—when she decides to stay in Seattle and work to prepare healthy, sustaining meals for Jane as she undergoes chemotherapy. She also meets Nick and his winsome son, Matt, who, like Elizabeth, are trying to heal from the wounds of the past.

As she tends to Jane's needs, Elizabeth's powers begin to return to her, along with the family she left behind so long ago. Then Paul tries to entice her back to New York, and she is faced with a hard decision: stay and become Lizzy to her sister’s Jane, or return to New York and the life she worked so hard to create?

Title: The Healer's Touch
Author: Lori Copeland
Publisher:Harvest House
Publication Date: August 1st, 2014

Lori Copeland, beloved author of more than 100 books, brings a new adventure to life in her latest novel.

Lyric Bolton doesn't ask for much--just friendship and acceptance from her rural Missouri community. But her family is regarded with suspicion and fear because of her mother's sickness--a sickness of the mind that grows worse by the day. Lyric is resigned to a life of isolation and doesn't see any way out...but that's before Ian Cawley bolts into her life on a runaway stallion.

As she opens her heart to Ian, Lyric dares to imagine a different life. But what will happen when he discovers the secret she holds closest of all? 

 Title: Keepers of the Covenant
Author: Lynn Austin
Publisher: Bethany House
Publication Date: October 7th, 2014

The Old Testament Comes to Thrilling Life in the Latest from Lynn Austin

In one life-changing moment, the lives of the Jewish exiles in Babylon are thrown into confusion and despair when a decree arrives from the king's palace in Susa. It calls for the annihilation of every Jewish man, woman, and child throughout the empire on the thirteenth day of Adar, in less than one year. Ezra, a quiet Jewish scholar and teacher, is suddenly called upon to lead the community as they seek God for a reason for this catastrophe. When a second decree arrives, authorizing them to fight back, Ezra is thrust into the role of military leader as they defend themselves against their enemies.

When the battles come to an end, Ezra's brother Jude is dead and Ezra is required by the Law he so diligently studies to marry Jude's widow, Devorah, and provide an heir. Fatherhood changes Ezra, and he asks God to make a way for him and the other exiles to leave Babylon for good and return to Jerusalem. His prayers are answered and the exiles move to Judea to revitalize worship at the temple--but the fight to keep God's Law is never easy. As more and more of his community are tempted, a new battle emerges...this one for the survival of God's covenant and the souls of His chosen faithful.

Title: Love's Fortune
Author: Laura Frantz
Publisher: Revell
Publication Date: September 16th, 2014

Sheltered since birth at her Kentucky home, Rowena Ballantyne has heard only whispered rumors of her grandfather Silas's vast fortune and grand manor in Pennsylvania. When her father receives a rare letter summoning him to New Hope, Rowena makes the journey with him and quickly finds herself in a whole new world--filled with family members she's never met, dances she's never learned, and a new side to the father she thought she knew. As she struggles to fit in during their extended stay, she finds a friend in James Sackett, the most valued steamship pilot of the Ballantynes' shipping line. Even with his help, Rowena feels she may never be comfortable in high society. Will she go her own way . . . to her peril?

With her signature attention to historical detail, Laura Frantz brings 1850s Pennsylvania alive with a tender story of loss, love, and loyalty. Fans will cheer for this final installment of the Ballatyne saga.

Title: At Bluebonnet Lake
Author: Amanda Cabot
Publisher: Revell
Publication Date: October 21st, 2014

Marketing maven Kate Sherwood’s world is fast-paced, challenging, and always changing. The last thing she wants to do is slow down to a crawl at Rainbow’s End, a dilapidated resort in the Texas Hill Country. But she cannot deny her ailing grandmother’s request to visit the place where she and her deceased husband spent one glorious week (albeit fifty years ago). There Kate meets Greg Vange, the resort’s handyman. But there’s more to Greg than meets the eye–billions more, in fact, as he recently sold his successful software company and is at the resort in search of what’s next for his life.
Kate isn’t looking for romance, but she can’t deny the sparks of attraction that fly every time she and Greg are together. She even starts to see potential in the rundown resort. Could there be a future there? Or will Kate’s long-sought promotion take her back to the big city?

Title: In the Field of Grace
Author: Tessa Afshar
Publisher: River North
Publication Date: July 1st, 2014

Two women. Alone. With no provision. Can a woman who has lost everything, except her beloved mother, find hope in a foreign land?

Ruth leaves her home with  a barren womb and an empty future, after losing her husband. She forsakes her abusive parents and follows the woman she has grown to love as a true parent, her husband's mother, Naomi.

Ruth arrives in Israel with nothing to recommend her but Naomi's, love. She is destitute, grief-stricken, and unwanted by the people of God. Her loftiest hope is to provide enough food to save Naomi and herself from starvation. She is reduced to gathering leftovers once the harvesters have finished collecting grain from the field. A job only for the lowest of the low.

But God has other plans for her life.

While everyone considers Ruth an unworthy outsider, Ruth is shocked to find the owner of the field-one of the wealthiest and most honored men of Judah-is showing her favor.  Long since a widower and determined to stay that way, Boaz finds himself irresistibly drawn to the foreign woman with the dark, haunted eyes. He tells himself he is only being kind to his Cousin Naomi's chosen daughter when he goes out of his way to protect her from harm, but his heart knows better.

Obstacles. Heartache. Withered dreams. How can God forge love, passion, and new hope between two such different people?

Book covers keep getting prettier and I have found lately they have done a wonderful job at depicting the story.

For 2 weeks this summer, I was on the road and it was amazing!We drove and drove and drove, but when we stopped, we got to see so many wonderful places. I thought it would be fun for the next few weeks to share about the places we visited and the books that matched up with the these places.

Washington DC was our first official stop on our road trip. We were here only for 2 full days, but we packed a lot of things into these two days. We walked about 17 miles....and boy did my feet feel it.

There was just so much to see and do along the way. We saw the White House, The Capitol, a couple of the Smithsonian Museums, The National Archives, several of the monuments on the Mall, and we walked past several historical sites.

This was a city full of history!

With such a rich history, it offers an amazing background for a story. I had one story really pop out of this city. With Every Breath by Elizabeth Camden.
This was a story that was full of history. Having DC as it's background was the perfect fit. Elizabeth Camden is an author who is able to take such a historical setting and weave her characters in seamlessly.

I only bought one book in DC, it was all about the Art and History of the city.

I was in awe the whole time I was there. I could honestly make two posts on the days there, but I will try to keep it to one post...it might be long!

 The old buildings that were mixed amongst the new was just phenomenal! Its not like that where I'm at, so seeing these buildings that had been saved and renovated into something new was great!

 Had to see the White House. There were a lot of people out there. It was also neat to see the placement of everything and how it was all so close...if driving, walking was another story, to each other. The Washington Monument is visible from most of DC, but walking to the White House and seeing it directly behind it was cool. And all of the statues in the park across the street from the white house was impressive. The police was every where out there. There were also a lot of conspiracy theorist out and about yelling their ideas....I had to listen, but oh my word! Some where so far out there!!
 The Department of Treasury....looks like it used the treasury to get the place built! There was a massive gate right in front, there was no way to get to the front.
 On day 2, we found a cool little cafe and it ended up being right across the street from Ford's Theater. I would have loved to have gone a tour, but our time was limited. The original theater is still in use, but they have again mixed the old with the new.
The Capitol really does live up to it's nickname of The Hill! It was a heck going up that hill. It sits above the city and can be seeing from quite a distance. We didn't tour the Capitol, but we did see the visitor's center.

 The Washington and Lincoln Monuments are ones that are just iconic. You see them in movies and TV everywhere, it was something else to see them in person. We didn't get to see the reflecting pool very well, it was gated off as they were getting ready for the 4th of July...and it needed cleaning and was a bit gross...which was a bit sad, since I was expecting the clear water like it is in every movie! Ha.
 So, funny story! I took this picture before we were told we couldn't take pictures. This is inside of the rotunda of the National Archives. This had to be my most favorite part of DC. We got to see the Constitution, Bill of Rights, and Deceleration of Independence. I can't properly tell you my feelings on seeing them. The documents were old! So old. The size of them was bigger then I could have imagined. They are so faded now. Which is sad, but they are doing their best to protect them, and keep them on display for the public.

The Air and Space was one of the 2 museums we went to. The other was the American History museum. It was a time of a lot of history! The air and space museum was huge, as they had originals and replicas of shuttles, satellites, and air craft.

The American History Museum was neat, it was crowded, they both were, but it was worth it. Looking around, we go to see The Star Spangled Banner. It was sad to see the condition that it was in, but it was really amazing to see the size of it. It was massive. Pictures weren't allowed in there, as light could damage it more, but to tie it in with the documents really brought the history of America to life.

And for fun....our hotel room hall way. The rest of the hotel was bright and fun....all of the hallways looked like it was from the Shinning. All we could do was laugh.

Next week will be another stop on this Bookish Road-trip. Hope you'll be back to check it out.

What are your hidden gems?
Are the new releases?
Long time favorites?