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Out From Egypt #1
Counted with the Stars
Sold into slavery by her father and forsaken by the man she was supposed to marry, young Egyptian Kiya must serve a mistress who takes pleasure in her humiliation. When terrifying plagues strike Egypt, Kiya is in the middle of it all.
Choosing to flee with the Hebrews, Kiya finds herself reliant on a strange God and drawn to a man who despises her people. With everything she's ever known swept away and now facing the trials of the desert, will she turn back toward Egypt or surrender her life and her future to Yahweh?
Choosing to flee with the Hebrews, Kiya finds herself reliant on a strange God and drawn to a man who despises her people. With everything she's ever known swept away and now facing the trials of the desert, will she turn back toward Egypt or surrender her life and her future to Yahweh?
345 pages, Paperback
First published April 5, 2016
About the author
Connilyn Cossette
22 books2,195 followersConnilyn Cossette is a Christy Award-winning and bestselling author of stories that illuminate the ancient world of the Bible, in hopes readers will dig deeper into the Word and encounter the Great Storyteller himself within their pages. A recent breast cancer survivor and adoptive mom of her two greatest gifts, she lives in a small town south of Dallas, Texas. Connect with her at ConnilynCossette.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,064 reviews
October 15, 2021
I have no words. I'm gonna need a moment.
UPDATE
Let's just all take a minute to admire that cover. The book deserves another star just for having such a masterpiece on the front. (*Note* I really have no self control when I see a pretty book. Good looking cover? It goes on my to-read shelf automatically.)
When it comes to biblical fiction, I'm incredibly picky, and I usually tend to be more critical. However, this book captured my heart completely. I felt that the characters were fleshed out well, and I loved following Kiya on her journey. At first, I really didn't know what to think of her, as she could be incredibly rude and brash at times, but I came to appreciate her curiosity about faith and the fact that she was someone who recognized and tried to fix her faults as well.
Concerning the side characters, they were excellently done, especially Shira. She was my absolute favorite, and I'm so glad the next book is from her perspective. I absolutely can't wait. Moreover, characters like Eben, Kiya's mother, and Jumo her brother were really well developed too, and I fell in love with each one of them. (*Note* Is it possible to please have a book about Jumo? If that were to happen, I wouldn't be able to contain my happiness).
Conclusion: I'm first in the line to get the second book when it arrives at my library.
Update: I bought the whole series instead :D
UPDATE
Let's just all take a minute to admire that cover. The book deserves another star just for having such a masterpiece on the front. (*Note* I really have no self control when I see a pretty book. Good looking cover? It goes on my to-read shelf automatically.)
When it comes to biblical fiction, I'm incredibly picky, and I usually tend to be more critical. However, this book captured my heart completely. I felt that the characters were fleshed out well, and I loved following Kiya on her journey. At first, I really didn't know what to think of her, as she could be incredibly rude and brash at times, but I came to appreciate her curiosity about faith and the fact that she was someone who recognized and tried to fix her faults as well.
Concerning the side characters, they were excellently done, especially Shira. She was my absolute favorite, and I'm so glad the next book is from her perspective. I absolutely can't wait. Moreover, characters like Eben, Kiya's mother, and Jumo her brother were really well developed too, and I fell in love with each one of them. (*Note* Is it possible to please have a book about Jumo? If that were to happen, I wouldn't be able to contain my happiness).
Conclusion: I'm first in the line to get the second book when it arrives at my library.
Update: I bought the whole series instead :D
January 28, 2017
Warning: This review is full of spoilers and talks about some graphic content.
This could have been my new favorite book. For the first hundred or so pages I was utterly swept away. The writing style is exquisite, the attention to detail is staggering. I was fully prepared to buy this book and put it in a place of honor on my bookshelf.
Then I reached the midway point and everything changed – story wise, and content wise:
Story: I really felt like someone cut two books in half and pasted them together; the first half is completely different from the second half. Motivations changed, huge secrets were revealed that didn’t seem to have anything to do with the previous set up, and characters that were previously important faded to the background while other characters that were previously UNimportant suddenly received increased roles.
In the set up, we are presented with four intriguing women; Kiya, her friend, the Hebrew slave, Shira, Kiya’s enemy, Tekurah (her master’s wife) and Kiya’s mother, Nailah. We see the ten plagues in a new and powerful way – from the perspective of the Egyptians. We are in a wonderful closed door situation in the city of Iunu, an exotic place of intrigue.
But we leave all of this behind. There was too much exposition in the first half of the story. Iunu and the 10 plagues could have filled one book…a book that answered some of the questions this story presented…but never answered.
For instance. Kiya’s arc between Tekurah is never completed. After suffering horribly from Tekurah and finally confronting her, Tekurah simply disappears. Kiya leaves with the Hebrew during the Exodus and we never see Tekurah again… Tekurah was an extremely important role, but we have no idea what happened to her.
Shefu, Kiya’s master: After discovering that Shefu is actually her father (a plot twist that seemed unnecessary) Kiya immediately leaves Iunu….we never see Shefu again or reach a resolution in their relationship. We’re not even sure whether he lives or not, because he might (or might not have been) a firstborn son.
Nailah, Kiya’s mother. Nailah enters the story as a significant player around the mid way point, when Kiya discovers that Nailah had an affair with Shefu, resulting in her birth. A tumultuous relationship ensues between mother and daughter…Nailah suddenly intimates that she has become a Christian…and before the relationship can be fully resolved, Nailah is suddenly and conveniently killed.
Jumo, Kiya’s brother. Jumo suffers from a speech impediment and has difficulty walking, but is an incredibly talented artist, a loving brother and a sweet character. I was very unhappy when Jumo is miraculously healed at the end. I thought it would have been much more powerful if Jumo had had to continue trusting in Yahweh, despite his limitations. I felt cheated in this arc.
Akhum, Kiya’s former fiancé. When we first meet, Ahkum, seems like a nice enough fellow…I had even rather hoped he would come back as a believer in Yahweh. Akhum does come back, but he’s suddenly a lecherous villain who wants Kiya as a concubine…intimating that he never really loved her as a person, but was only interested in her for her beauty. That whole development seemed to come out of left field. Just saying this plot twist made sense…we never see Ahkum again…for being such an important character (Kiya’s fiancé), he has his opening scene, then the scene at the midpoint where he’s revealed to be a jerk…and then he disappears.
Sayaad, an Egyptian that flees during the Exodus: There are no surprises with Sayaad, we know he’s a jerk from the beginning…but he doesn’t seem to serve any purpose other than to be the villain that Eben can heroically defeat, thus impressing Kiya.
Shira, Kiya’s friend and a Hebrew slave. An intriguing and sweet friendship was developed initially between Shira and Kiya. Shira was Kiya’s first teacher about Yahweh and started her on her spiritual journey….but we never really saw any culmination to this relationship. By the midway point, Shira had become merely a device to bring Kiya and Shira’s brother—Eben—together.
Which brings me to Eben. Eben’s sole purpose in this story was to be Kiya’s romantic interest; he was never a fully developed character. Don’t misunderstand me, I would have liked to have seen (or at least seen a hint) that Kiya would start a family. But really this whole story was about was Kiya finding God. Her whole life is destroyed once she becomes a slave…can a foreign God save her? This arc could have been amazingly powerful, staggeringly beautiful…but because of Eben, her search for God fell flat. Kiya should have first discovered that God was the only man she needed, that he loved her, that she was completely fulfilled in God – THEN, she can find romance….having both happen simultaneously, really confused the issue…it made it seem like God wasn’t enough for her…like she needed a man to be happy. Plus, before this point, Kiya was an interesting character, strong, resilient, with a burgeoning kindness and nobility. Once Eben was introducing she just became a standard female lead. It was also frustrating that every man in this book (including Eben) seems attracted to her not because of her character, but because of her beauty.
What I would have liked to have seen happen in this book: The whole book would take place at Iunu…stretching out the plagues and the intrigue. I would have kept the tension between Kiya and her mother (though Shefu would not be her dad). After all, Nailah did stand by while Kiya was sold into slavery…so that would be tense, but I would bring some kind of resolution to their arc and not kill off Nailah.
Kiya would have finally reached some kind of stand off with Tekurah but thanks to some help from Shefu, her kindly master, reach some kind of resolution with her mistress before being set free.
At the very end of the book, Kiya would set out on the Exodus…the plagues have made her realize that Yahweh is the one true God, and she is putting her future in his hands. I would have made Ahkum a good guy and woven him into the story a little more. He would have also realized that Yahweh was the one true God and joined the Hebrews on the Exodus…hinting that he and Kiya will eventually marry. Shira would have served as Kiya’s sole instructor on the ways of Yahweh and Jumo would trust God in the midst of his limitations.
I would have made the main thrust of this book about Kiya’s search for God. The theme would be about fathers. Kiya’s stepfather sold her into slavery…but than Yahweh accepts speaks to her and she discovers that she is really and truly loved by God the Father.
I would have cut Eben entirely.
This was the book I wanted to read.
Content: Lots of bathing scenes, Shira and Kiya are constantly assisting Tekurah bath or dress. Kiya baths in the river and it is mentioned that she has no problem with public nudity (though she always baths privately – albeit with Shira). The Egyptian women’s sheer attire is mentioned. Ahkum is a lecherous jerk who wants Kiya as his concubine…it is intimated that he and Kiya were involved in pre martial intimacy (something that came out of left field and added nothing to the story). Shefu and Nailah had an affair and produced Kiya. It is mentioned briefly that Shira was ‘attacked’ at one point, thus she’s scared of men. Several mentions are made of Egyptian over seers violating Hebrew women. Sayaad has designs on Kiya and when he captures Kiya he drags her into a tent and though the word ‘rape’ is never used, its clear that’s what he plans to do. And then there’s Eben. By the time Kiya is falling for Eben, she is also starting to have faith in God…but her relationship with Eben never seems any more chaste than her relationship with Ahkum.
There is an embarrassing amount of romancing between Kiya and Eben…she is constantly thinking about his looks – in great detail. At one point, she and Eben spend a night in a cave. Though they remain sitting up, they fall asleep in one another’s arms…ironically in the middle of a conversation about how good Yahweh is, which seems hypocritical. Though she and Eben plan to follow Yahweh and enter into a Godly marriage…they seem to be attracted to one another solely on the basis of physical appearances.
I was shocked by the amount of content in this book. So much of this content was completely unnecessary and added nothing to what could have been, a good book. I wouldn’t recommend this book to a woman of any age…if you want, clean, well written Biblical fiction, read the Acts of Faith trilogy by Davis Bunn.
As I said, this could have been my new favorite… I am still struggling with the great disappointment that it wasn’t.
This could have been my new favorite book. For the first hundred or so pages I was utterly swept away. The writing style is exquisite, the attention to detail is staggering. I was fully prepared to buy this book and put it in a place of honor on my bookshelf.
Then I reached the midway point and everything changed – story wise, and content wise:
Story: I really felt like someone cut two books in half and pasted them together; the first half is completely different from the second half. Motivations changed, huge secrets were revealed that didn’t seem to have anything to do with the previous set up, and characters that were previously important faded to the background while other characters that were previously UNimportant suddenly received increased roles.
In the set up, we are presented with four intriguing women; Kiya, her friend, the Hebrew slave, Shira, Kiya’s enemy, Tekurah (her master’s wife) and Kiya’s mother, Nailah. We see the ten plagues in a new and powerful way – from the perspective of the Egyptians. We are in a wonderful closed door situation in the city of Iunu, an exotic place of intrigue.
But we leave all of this behind. There was too much exposition in the first half of the story. Iunu and the 10 plagues could have filled one book…a book that answered some of the questions this story presented…but never answered.
For instance. Kiya’s arc between Tekurah is never completed. After suffering horribly from Tekurah and finally confronting her, Tekurah simply disappears. Kiya leaves with the Hebrew during the Exodus and we never see Tekurah again… Tekurah was an extremely important role, but we have no idea what happened to her.
Shefu, Kiya’s master: After discovering that Shefu is actually her father (a plot twist that seemed unnecessary) Kiya immediately leaves Iunu….we never see Shefu again or reach a resolution in their relationship. We’re not even sure whether he lives or not, because he might (or might not have been) a firstborn son.
Nailah, Kiya’s mother. Nailah enters the story as a significant player around the mid way point, when Kiya discovers that Nailah had an affair with Shefu, resulting in her birth. A tumultuous relationship ensues between mother and daughter…Nailah suddenly intimates that she has become a Christian…and before the relationship can be fully resolved, Nailah is suddenly and conveniently killed.
Jumo, Kiya’s brother. Jumo suffers from a speech impediment and has difficulty walking, but is an incredibly talented artist, a loving brother and a sweet character. I was very unhappy when Jumo is miraculously healed at the end. I thought it would have been much more powerful if Jumo had had to continue trusting in Yahweh, despite his limitations. I felt cheated in this arc.
Akhum, Kiya’s former fiancé. When we first meet, Ahkum, seems like a nice enough fellow…I had even rather hoped he would come back as a believer in Yahweh. Akhum does come back, but he’s suddenly a lecherous villain who wants Kiya as a concubine…intimating that he never really loved her as a person, but was only interested in her for her beauty. That whole development seemed to come out of left field. Just saying this plot twist made sense…we never see Ahkum again…for being such an important character (Kiya’s fiancé), he has his opening scene, then the scene at the midpoint where he’s revealed to be a jerk…and then he disappears.
Sayaad, an Egyptian that flees during the Exodus: There are no surprises with Sayaad, we know he’s a jerk from the beginning…but he doesn’t seem to serve any purpose other than to be the villain that Eben can heroically defeat, thus impressing Kiya.
Shira, Kiya’s friend and a Hebrew slave. An intriguing and sweet friendship was developed initially between Shira and Kiya. Shira was Kiya’s first teacher about Yahweh and started her on her spiritual journey….but we never really saw any culmination to this relationship. By the midway point, Shira had become merely a device to bring Kiya and Shira’s brother—Eben—together.
Which brings me to Eben. Eben’s sole purpose in this story was to be Kiya’s romantic interest; he was never a fully developed character. Don’t misunderstand me, I would have liked to have seen (or at least seen a hint) that Kiya would start a family. But really this whole story was about was Kiya finding God. Her whole life is destroyed once she becomes a slave…can a foreign God save her? This arc could have been amazingly powerful, staggeringly beautiful…but because of Eben, her search for God fell flat. Kiya should have first discovered that God was the only man she needed, that he loved her, that she was completely fulfilled in God – THEN, she can find romance….having both happen simultaneously, really confused the issue…it made it seem like God wasn’t enough for her…like she needed a man to be happy. Plus, before this point, Kiya was an interesting character, strong, resilient, with a burgeoning kindness and nobility. Once Eben was introducing she just became a standard female lead. It was also frustrating that every man in this book (including Eben) seems attracted to her not because of her character, but because of her beauty.
What I would have liked to have seen happen in this book: The whole book would take place at Iunu…stretching out the plagues and the intrigue. I would have kept the tension between Kiya and her mother (though Shefu would not be her dad). After all, Nailah did stand by while Kiya was sold into slavery…so that would be tense, but I would bring some kind of resolution to their arc and not kill off Nailah.
Kiya would have finally reached some kind of stand off with Tekurah but thanks to some help from Shefu, her kindly master, reach some kind of resolution with her mistress before being set free.
At the very end of the book, Kiya would set out on the Exodus…the plagues have made her realize that Yahweh is the one true God, and she is putting her future in his hands. I would have made Ahkum a good guy and woven him into the story a little more. He would have also realized that Yahweh was the one true God and joined the Hebrews on the Exodus…hinting that he and Kiya will eventually marry. Shira would have served as Kiya’s sole instructor on the ways of Yahweh and Jumo would trust God in the midst of his limitations.
I would have made the main thrust of this book about Kiya’s search for God. The theme would be about fathers. Kiya’s stepfather sold her into slavery…but than Yahweh accepts speaks to her and she discovers that she is really and truly loved by God the Father.
I would have cut Eben entirely.
This was the book I wanted to read.
Content: Lots of bathing scenes, Shira and Kiya are constantly assisting Tekurah bath or dress. Kiya baths in the river and it is mentioned that she has no problem with public nudity (though she always baths privately – albeit with Shira). The Egyptian women’s sheer attire is mentioned. Ahkum is a lecherous jerk who wants Kiya as his concubine…it is intimated that he and Kiya were involved in pre martial intimacy (something that came out of left field and added nothing to the story). Shefu and Nailah had an affair and produced Kiya. It is mentioned briefly that Shira was ‘attacked’ at one point, thus she’s scared of men. Several mentions are made of Egyptian over seers violating Hebrew women. Sayaad has designs on Kiya and when he captures Kiya he drags her into a tent and though the word ‘rape’ is never used, its clear that’s what he plans to do. And then there’s Eben. By the time Kiya is falling for Eben, she is also starting to have faith in God…but her relationship with Eben never seems any more chaste than her relationship with Ahkum.
There is an embarrassing amount of romancing between Kiya and Eben…she is constantly thinking about his looks – in great detail. At one point, she and Eben spend a night in a cave. Though they remain sitting up, they fall asleep in one another’s arms…ironically in the middle of a conversation about how good Yahweh is, which seems hypocritical. Though she and Eben plan to follow Yahweh and enter into a Godly marriage…they seem to be attracted to one another solely on the basis of physical appearances.
I was shocked by the amount of content in this book. So much of this content was completely unnecessary and added nothing to what could have been, a good book. I wouldn’t recommend this book to a woman of any age…if you want, clean, well written Biblical fiction, read the Acts of Faith trilogy by Davis Bunn.
As I said, this could have been my new favorite… I am still struggling with the great disappointment that it wasn’t.
February 22, 2023
*Updating Review*
Loved this so much ----5 stars
Counted with the Stars by Connilyn Cossette was her debut novel and WOW I was really blown away with how connected I was to these characters and story! I just love the time period around Exodus in the Bible so this was for me!❤️ Love that we got a little romance in this too.
This is all about a young Egyptian woman named Kiya who was sold into slavery by her father and was forsaken by the man she was supposed to marry. She becomes friends with a young Hebrew woman, flees with the Hebrews after going through the plauges described in the book of Exodus. Will she turn back to Egypt or will she surrender her life to God?
This was beautiful in every way. Very biblically accurate and transports you right into the culture of the Egyptians and Hebrews. I was so intrigued by the Egyptian's view of the plagues too. I read this super fast and look forward to more by this author!
Loved this so much ----5 stars
Counted with the Stars by Connilyn Cossette was her debut novel and WOW I was really blown away with how connected I was to these characters and story! I just love the time period around Exodus in the Bible so this was for me!❤️ Love that we got a little romance in this too.
This is all about a young Egyptian woman named Kiya who was sold into slavery by her father and was forsaken by the man she was supposed to marry. She becomes friends with a young Hebrew woman, flees with the Hebrews after going through the plauges described in the book of Exodus. Will she turn back to Egypt or will she surrender her life to God?
This was beautiful in every way. Very biblically accurate and transports you right into the culture of the Egyptians and Hebrews. I was so intrigued by the Egyptian's view of the plagues too. I read this super fast and look forward to more by this author!
February 23, 2023
I LOVED THIS BOOK! I am amazed by two things. First, this was Connilyn Cossette's debut novel and it has such depth of tone and presence. Secondly, she accomplished so much in this story but nothing was sacrificed. In this story we follow the Hebrews release from Egypt to Mount Sinai. Yet, it did not feel rushed, slow or boring. It was so many things.
Captivating.
Intense.
Reverent to the Lord.
Relational.
Imagery stimulated all of my senses.
Entrancing ancient Egyptian and Hebrew culture.🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯
The biblical accuracy...🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯
A grounded and natural romance sub plot. Specifically, the romance added such a colorful layer to the story.
I cannot wait to read the more of her work. I didn't know. But now I know. I will be rereading this story again and again..and again.💜
Captivating.
Intense.
Reverent to the Lord.
Relational.
Imagery stimulated all of my senses.
Entrancing ancient Egyptian and Hebrew culture.🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯
The biblical accuracy...🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯
A grounded and natural romance sub plot. Specifically, the romance added such a colorful layer to the story.
I cannot wait to read the more of her work. I didn't know. But now I know. I will be rereading this story again and again..and again.💜
July 26, 2023
Amazing retelling of the Exodus story from an Egyptian girl's perspective.
I LOVED the first 3/4 of this book.
Kiya is an Egyptian girl who has to be sold by her father into slavery. We follow her life as she adjusts to being a slave under a very bitter and cruel mistress. This is set during the time in the Bible when the Hebrew people were enslaved by Pharaoh and when Moses is sent by God to demand their release.
We are always in Kiya's perspective so seeing the plagues through her eyes was fascinating!
There were times when her thoughts about YAHWEH gave me chills. His almighty power was described in a way that made me in awe of the God I serve. It was so cool.
It didn't make it to 5 stars because the last part of the book with them in the wilderness dragged for me. I felt like the parting of the Red Sea could have been elaborated on more and the awe of it captured better. Then there are so many days of them wandering and Kiya just describing things and I found it dull. I skimmed a lot of that.
I didn't have a problem with the romance and I thought it was another way of showing God's purifying grace.
I would definitely recommend this book and I would like to read the next one!
I LOVED the first 3/4 of this book.
Kiya is an Egyptian girl who has to be sold by her father into slavery. We follow her life as she adjusts to being a slave under a very bitter and cruel mistress. This is set during the time in the Bible when the Hebrew people were enslaved by Pharaoh and when Moses is sent by God to demand their release.
We are always in Kiya's perspective so seeing the plagues through her eyes was fascinating!
There were times when her thoughts about YAHWEH gave me chills. His almighty power was described in a way that made me in awe of the God I serve. It was so cool.
It didn't make it to 5 stars because the last part of the book with them in the wilderness dragged for me. I felt like the parting of the Red Sea could have been elaborated on more and the awe of it captured better. Then there are so many days of them wandering and Kiya just describing things and I found it dull. I skimmed a lot of that.
I didn't have a problem with the romance and I thought it was another way of showing God's purifying grace.
I would definitely recommend this book and I would like to read the next one!
April 19, 2016
Counted with the Stars is a wonderful debut! I was very impressed by the ease and flow of this story. The first-person narration is so well-done, and Kiya is a character who is both realistic and relatable. Her inner thoughts feel true-to-life, and I loved getting her first-hand perspective on life in Egypt and later on life with the Hebrews.
I found myself very intrigued by the Egyptian view of the plagues. Kiya is an Egyptian slave, and while she once lived a life of luxury and wealth, she meets Shira, a slave like herself, but a Hebrew. Kiya’s memories of her former life, as well as the sharp contrast of her beliefs compared to Shira’s, create a nice juxtaposition for all of the coming events to take place. It was interesting to me that I had never really thought about how the meetings between Moses and Pharaoh, as well as the plagues would be relayed by word-of-mouth, how so many wouldn’t have a first, second or even third-hand account of it, but rather would have to hear about it through talk at the market or through other slaves and servants.
The surrounding characters take a while to come into the story, but once they do, they add a lot of depth and layers to the story. The relationship between Kiya and her brother, Jumo, is so endearing, and I also found the interactions between her and her mother to be compelling and poignant. Shira, her brother Eben, and the other members of their family add a lot of depth and emotion to the story.
The narrative in general has a nice balance of both the Egyptian way of life, where Kiya was a slave, and the Hebrew way of life, which is hard and full of uncertainty, but Kiya is free. I thought it was clever that the plot reflects how, though she was now free from slavery in the physical sense, she still feels like her spirit is in bondage. The way the journey through the desert reflects her inner transformation is poignant and a really special part of the story for me and so reflective of the transformative power of faith.
Though the major plot points are based on the biblical story, the descriptions and character interactions that Connilyn has written into the story give it a fresh, vibrant feeling. Though the story flows with ease, the balance between despair and hope is present throughout the story’s entirety. The things that happen to Kiya and the supporting characters still allow for surprises by the story’s end. I’m so looking forward to the second book in the series, which features Shira as the main character. She had so much to do with sparking the change in Kiya in this story, so I’m hopeful that it will be another redemptive, transformation story from her perspective.
I found myself very intrigued by the Egyptian view of the plagues. Kiya is an Egyptian slave, and while she once lived a life of luxury and wealth, she meets Shira, a slave like herself, but a Hebrew. Kiya’s memories of her former life, as well as the sharp contrast of her beliefs compared to Shira’s, create a nice juxtaposition for all of the coming events to take place. It was interesting to me that I had never really thought about how the meetings between Moses and Pharaoh, as well as the plagues would be relayed by word-of-mouth, how so many wouldn’t have a first, second or even third-hand account of it, but rather would have to hear about it through talk at the market or through other slaves and servants.
The surrounding characters take a while to come into the story, but once they do, they add a lot of depth and layers to the story. The relationship between Kiya and her brother, Jumo, is so endearing, and I also found the interactions between her and her mother to be compelling and poignant. Shira, her brother Eben, and the other members of their family add a lot of depth and emotion to the story.
The narrative in general has a nice balance of both the Egyptian way of life, where Kiya was a slave, and the Hebrew way of life, which is hard and full of uncertainty, but Kiya is free. I thought it was clever that the plot reflects how, though she was now free from slavery in the physical sense, she still feels like her spirit is in bondage. The way the journey through the desert reflects her inner transformation is poignant and a really special part of the story for me and so reflective of the transformative power of faith.
Though the major plot points are based on the biblical story, the descriptions and character interactions that Connilyn has written into the story give it a fresh, vibrant feeling. Though the story flows with ease, the balance between despair and hope is present throughout the story’s entirety. The things that happen to Kiya and the supporting characters still allow for surprises by the story’s end. I’m so looking forward to the second book in the series, which features Shira as the main character. She had so much to do with sparking the change in Kiya in this story, so I’m hopeful that it will be another redemptive, transformation story from her perspective.
February 25, 2023
4 ½ stars 🌟
I got sucked into the story right away and I loved that this was told from an Egyptian woman's perspective. This would have been 5 stars easy if not for the romance. I wish Kiya's love interest had been nicer instead of acting distant and like he hated her until the very end while all the time Kiya is in love with him even though he barely gives her the time of day. And we're not even gonna talk about those other two pieces of crap. This girl sure knows how to pick 'em. Okay, I'm off to watch The Prince of Egypt now byeeeee.
I got sucked into the story right away and I loved that this was told from an Egyptian woman's perspective. This would have been 5 stars easy if not for the romance. I wish Kiya's love interest had been nicer instead of acting distant and like he hated her until the very end while all the time Kiya is in love with him even though he barely gives her the time of day. And we're not even gonna talk about those other two pieces of crap. This girl sure knows how to pick 'em. Okay, I'm off to watch The Prince of Egypt now byeeeee.
June 13, 2022
✨reread 2022
I think I'm going to reread this book every single year. I find more to love each read through. How Kiya comes to learn just who the God of the Hebrews truly is, is an incredible journey and I'm in awe each time I read it.
✨reread 2021 - because I just love this book
✨5 stars
This book was my first dip into biblical fiction, and I'm hooked now! Connilyn writes with such depth and authenticity! I love how this book centred around the question, who were the mixed multitudes participating in the Exodus? I never really imagined what that journey would have looked like, but now I have so much to think about. Just picturing the thousands of people, children, and animals all heading in one direction, lead by a literal cloud of fire is just wow - I would be awestruck at such a sight.
I've been reading reviews talking about how much romance and content was in this book, but I personally didn't see that. This story was Kiya's journey to understanding Shira's God, and coming to repentance herself. Yes, there was romance (more on that later) but it didn't take precedent over Kiya's spiritual journey. In my opinion, anyway. It was so interesting to see Kiya's Egyptian perspective on the plagues, Hebrew customs, faith, and Exodus out of Egypt. Her journey from heathen idolatry to worshiping the one true God was written so beautifully.
Back to the romance. I love love love Eben! He's one of my favourite Cossette men (besides Tobiah and Darek 😍). Kiya and Eben's relationship was interesting, considering both of their nationalities and backgrounds. There is some talk at the end regarding the wedding night, but that is because marriage was sacred and viewed as a blessing to be celebrated in those days. I thought it was tastefully done, and didn't take up too much of the story.
I usually don't care for 1st person narratives but this time it was done so well! While I wished we had Eben's perspective, not having it didn't take away from the story at all.
For a debut novel, Counted With the Stars is truly a wonderful story bringing to life one of the greatest mass exoduses in history. Highly recommend to all biblical fiction buffs!
I think I'm going to reread this book every single year. I find more to love each read through. How Kiya comes to learn just who the God of the Hebrews truly is, is an incredible journey and I'm in awe each time I read it.
✨reread 2021 - because I just love this book
✨5 stars
This book was my first dip into biblical fiction, and I'm hooked now! Connilyn writes with such depth and authenticity! I love how this book centred around the question, who were the mixed multitudes participating in the Exodus? I never really imagined what that journey would have looked like, but now I have so much to think about. Just picturing the thousands of people, children, and animals all heading in one direction, lead by a literal cloud of fire is just wow - I would be awestruck at such a sight.
I've been reading reviews talking about how much romance and content was in this book, but I personally didn't see that. This story was Kiya's journey to understanding Shira's God, and coming to repentance herself. Yes, there was romance (more on that later) but it didn't take precedent over Kiya's spiritual journey. In my opinion, anyway. It was so interesting to see Kiya's Egyptian perspective on the plagues, Hebrew customs, faith, and Exodus out of Egypt. Her journey from heathen idolatry to worshiping the one true God was written so beautifully.
Back to the romance. I love love love Eben! He's one of my favourite Cossette men (besides Tobiah and Darek 😍). Kiya and Eben's relationship was interesting, considering both of their nationalities and backgrounds. There is some talk at the end regarding the wedding night, but that is because marriage was sacred and viewed as a blessing to be celebrated in those days. I thought it was tastefully done, and didn't take up too much of the story.
I usually don't care for 1st person narratives but this time it was done so well! While I wished we had Eben's perspective, not having it didn't take away from the story at all.
For a debut novel, Counted With the Stars is truly a wonderful story bringing to life one of the greatest mass exoduses in history. Highly recommend to all biblical fiction buffs!
July 10, 2016
I must admit I am not big on biblical fiction. I read one other and it was alright but not exciting. I'll also admit when I went to the library I only got this because I saw some of my Goodreads friends had read it and I was curious. I even put off reading it because as much as I enjoy historical fiction I prefer not reading before the civil war period. I thought this was definitely way to long ago. Out of curiosity I decided to try out just one chapter, yeah right. Yep! I COULD NOT PUT THIS DOWN! The thing that really impressed me with this smoothly flowing story is that it's the author's debut novel. My only complaint is how many nonessential characters there were with such similar names that I could not keep track of. I look forward to reading book 2 in the series when it releases.
August 10, 2021
Connilyn Cossette became a blip on my radar last March, when through social media, I read of her aspirations to publish a novel based upon the Exodus. As a voracious reader of biblical fiction, I’ve been following the progress of Counted With the Stars with uncontainable enthusiasm. It’s not often that this sub-genre of historical fiction welcomes a new voice. Connilyn brings fresh perspective and so much more in her debut novel Counted With the Stars.
One of the strongest draws to this novel is it’s multi-dimensional characters. The narrative is delivered through the first person point of view of Kiya. Ripped from a life of luxury, Kiya despairs over the loss of her family as well as the hardships she must endure in servitude to Tekurah — the lady of the house. It’s not long, however, before she finds solace in the friendship of a Hebrew slave. One sacrificial act by new acquaintance Shira, followed by subsequent talks about her One God pave the way for a soul-deep friendship between the two. Shira’s faith, gentle spirit, willing acceptance of God’s good plan stirred my heart. Secondary characters like Shira’s brother Eben, as well as Kiya’s mother and brother enrich the story with glimmers of love and forgiveness.
Connilyn led me to see the events of Exodus with new eyes. For the first time, I questioned how word of Moses’ confrontations with Pharaoh would have been relayed through a nation as large as Egypt. Word of mouth, speculation, and pagan superstitions could have both helped and hurt the Hebrews by stirring up a mixture of resentment and fear towards them.
Have you ever considered how each plague was a targeted attack the gods of Egypt? I’ve done so through the eyes of a Christian, but never through an Egyptian’s perspective., I’ve read the biblical accounts numerous times and each time I’ve skimmed over God’s protection of the Israelites from the 5th plague on livestock. By doing so, God (Jehovah-Jireh) provided the sacrificial lambs of Passover. (See also Genesis 22:13-14, Exodus 9 & 12, & 1 Corinthians 5:7.) This book did for me the very thing that endears me to biblical fiction — it sent me searching the scriptures.
I’d like to conclude with a few general remarks: Connilyn’s approach to the retelling of Exodus is as unique as it is compelling. She was able to elicit from me genuine concern for Kiya’s salvation, making me worry if she would be “ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding.” In the story surrounding her brother, I detected a nod towards the sanctity of life and how God sees value in every life. Counted With the Stars has the perfect measure of heart and history!
I received this book free from the author in exchange for my review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
One of the strongest draws to this novel is it’s multi-dimensional characters. The narrative is delivered through the first person point of view of Kiya. Ripped from a life of luxury, Kiya despairs over the loss of her family as well as the hardships she must endure in servitude to Tekurah — the lady of the house. It’s not long, however, before she finds solace in the friendship of a Hebrew slave. One sacrificial act by new acquaintance Shira, followed by subsequent talks about her One God pave the way for a soul-deep friendship between the two. Shira’s faith, gentle spirit, willing acceptance of God’s good plan stirred my heart. Secondary characters like Shira’s brother Eben, as well as Kiya’s mother and brother enrich the story with glimmers of love and forgiveness.
Connilyn led me to see the events of Exodus with new eyes. For the first time, I questioned how word of Moses’ confrontations with Pharaoh would have been relayed through a nation as large as Egypt. Word of mouth, speculation, and pagan superstitions could have both helped and hurt the Hebrews by stirring up a mixture of resentment and fear towards them.
Have you ever considered how each plague was a targeted attack the gods of Egypt? I’ve done so through the eyes of a Christian, but never through an Egyptian’s perspective., I’ve read the biblical accounts numerous times and each time I’ve skimmed over God’s protection of the Israelites from the 5th plague on livestock. By doing so, God (Jehovah-Jireh) provided the sacrificial lambs of Passover. (See also Genesis 22:13-14, Exodus 9 & 12, & 1 Corinthians 5:7.) This book did for me the very thing that endears me to biblical fiction — it sent me searching the scriptures.
I’d like to conclude with a few general remarks: Connilyn’s approach to the retelling of Exodus is as unique as it is compelling. She was able to elicit from me genuine concern for Kiya’s salvation, making me worry if she would be “ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding.” In the story surrounding her brother, I detected a nod towards the sanctity of life and how God sees value in every life. Counted With the Stars has the perfect measure of heart and history!
I received this book free from the author in exchange for my review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
December 3, 2016
A stunning depiction of an age-old story, told with such a fresh perspective I couldn't put it down. The depth of the author's research is commendable and obvious as she weaves her tale against the backdrop of an ancient culture in bondage to false gods. I loved this novel not just for the characters and the plot, but for the way it made me grateful anew that we serve a loving God who demands no tribute, no sacrifice, but a contrite heart eager to reconcile with our Creator. Can't wait to read the rest of this series from Connilyn Cossette!
March 6, 2024
The God who parted the sea could surely mend the rift in my heart.
This was beautiful! Though I know the story about Moses and the exodus of the Israelites out of Egypt very well, reading it from an Egyptian's perspective shone a whole new light on this moment and made me understand certain parts of it better, like the significance of each of the ten plagues God sent on Egypt. I loved this story so much I am not sure how to best put it into words, but it is one I highly, highly recommend and think everyone should read. And can we please take a minute to adore this GORGEOUS cover!!!
This was beautiful! Though I know the story about Moses and the exodus of the Israelites out of Egypt very well, reading it from an Egyptian's perspective shone a whole new light on this moment and made me understand certain parts of it better, like the significance of each of the ten plagues God sent on Egypt. I loved this story so much I am not sure how to best put it into words, but it is one I highly, highly recommend and think everyone should read. And can we please take a minute to adore this GORGEOUS cover!!!
December 23, 2017
by Andrea Renee Cox
This is officially my favorite Biblical fiction book (as of December 2017). It's tough for me to find ones I like because of inconsistencies between the fictional story and the Biblical version of events. This book had very few inconsistencies from the Biblical account, for which I was incredibly grateful.
Ms. Connilyn Cossette is definitely here to stay. Her voice immediately hooked me in, and when I shared a few paragraphs with my parents, they agreed that her talent at word-crafting is spectacular. I am so glad Ms. Cossette has published this book (and its two sequels, which I'm eager to read). I'm certain her writing journey will bless many readers' hearts.
The settings completely came alive for me, due in large part to the details adding a vast richness to the atmosphere. The characters were all realistic, as if they had truly existed thousands of years ago and were only now being allowed to share their intricate and heartfelt stories with the world. Their heartbreak became my heartbreak; their joy, my joy; their hope, my hope. The cover was what first attracted me to this book. It's absolutely stunning with a sea of stars as the cover model's cloak, a desert wilderness anchoring the cover art, and a string of Egyptian picture symbols lining the bottom edge. I'm so grateful that the story between the covers lived up to the brilliantly designed artwork that caught my eye from the beginning.
One thing that bothered me was the inconsistency of capitalizing or lowercasing "God" when in reference to the Hebrews' God. It seemed to me that the author was trying to both honor God and respect the character Kiya's background of being an Egyptian who worshiped multiple false gods. While I appreciated the difficulty that presented, I felt the author could have been more decisive in choosing to capitalize every mention of the Hebrews' God and His various names (God, Elohim, etc.). This also is something that could have been caught in the copyediting and proofreading phases of editing.
However, combined with a couple of minor inconsistencies, that was only enough to knock off one star in my rating, because it was quite clear to me throughout the story that the author's heart was on the side of faith in God. Even when Kiya was praying to false gods, Ms. Cossette made sure to infuse into every scene the hope that Kiya would eventually switch her allegiance to the only God that could save her from the slavery and life of sin she found herself trapped in.
Much to my surprise, I was greatly impressed with this debut in the Biblical fiction genre by Ms. Cossette. I will definitely be finishing this series, and I'll be eagerly watching to see what else the author releases in the coming years.
I was not compensated for my honest review.
This is officially my favorite Biblical fiction book (as of December 2017). It's tough for me to find ones I like because of inconsistencies between the fictional story and the Biblical version of events. This book had very few inconsistencies from the Biblical account, for which I was incredibly grateful.
Ms. Connilyn Cossette is definitely here to stay. Her voice immediately hooked me in, and when I shared a few paragraphs with my parents, they agreed that her talent at word-crafting is spectacular. I am so glad Ms. Cossette has published this book (and its two sequels, which I'm eager to read). I'm certain her writing journey will bless many readers' hearts.
The settings completely came alive for me, due in large part to the details adding a vast richness to the atmosphere. The characters were all realistic, as if they had truly existed thousands of years ago and were only now being allowed to share their intricate and heartfelt stories with the world. Their heartbreak became my heartbreak; their joy, my joy; their hope, my hope. The cover was what first attracted me to this book. It's absolutely stunning with a sea of stars as the cover model's cloak, a desert wilderness anchoring the cover art, and a string of Egyptian picture symbols lining the bottom edge. I'm so grateful that the story between the covers lived up to the brilliantly designed artwork that caught my eye from the beginning.
One thing that bothered me was the inconsistency of capitalizing or lowercasing "God" when in reference to the Hebrews' God. It seemed to me that the author was trying to both honor God and respect the character Kiya's background of being an Egyptian who worshiped multiple false gods. While I appreciated the difficulty that presented, I felt the author could have been more decisive in choosing to capitalize every mention of the Hebrews' God and His various names (God, Elohim, etc.). This also is something that could have been caught in the copyediting and proofreading phases of editing.
However, combined with a couple of minor inconsistencies, that was only enough to knock off one star in my rating, because it was quite clear to me throughout the story that the author's heart was on the side of faith in God. Even when Kiya was praying to false gods, Ms. Cossette made sure to infuse into every scene the hope that Kiya would eventually switch her allegiance to the only God that could save her from the slavery and life of sin she found herself trapped in.
Much to my surprise, I was greatly impressed with this debut in the Biblical fiction genre by Ms. Cossette. I will definitely be finishing this series, and I'll be eagerly watching to see what else the author releases in the coming years.
I was not compensated for my honest review.
November 2, 2021
This was a really creative story—I enjoyed it!
It was especially fitting because I’m actually in the book of Exodus and had just gotten to the chapters where the Israelites are leaving Egypt and heading into the wilderness! I recommend reading both simultaneously, if you can! So fun and really helps give a better understanding! 😁
Though Connilyn took some minor liberties in writing this story where she was more specific about things that the Bible doesn’t elaborate on, the story was largely based on exactly what is accounted in the Bible. In her ‘Note From The Author’ section, Connilyn says that when any historical information she looks up conflicts with the Bible, she always ‘defers to the Word’ and I love and appreciate that she does this. I wouldn’t want to read a Biblical Fiction story if an author felt otherwise.
This story was predominantly about Kiya’s personal journey out of Egypt and finding her way to the one, true, living God, YAHWEH; recognizing that there is only one God and no other. Kiya had many gods/idols being from Egypt and struggled to let go of them.
There is a love story woven in here but it doesn’t really come to fruition until the last quarter of the book.
At first, the attraction didn’t make sense to me based on Eben’s harsh responses to Kiya and it didn’t seem like they had really gotten to know one another to develop feelings… But Connilyn really is that good of a writer that she made it make sense once this portion of the story begins to really evolve.
She writes in such a richly developed and captivating way, I forget that I’m reading a book and get completely immersed in the story. I never feel like I’m ‘just reading a book.’
Looking forward to the next one in the series! 😊
It was especially fitting because I’m actually in the book of Exodus and had just gotten to the chapters where the Israelites are leaving Egypt and heading into the wilderness! I recommend reading both simultaneously, if you can! So fun and really helps give a better understanding! 😁
Though Connilyn took some minor liberties in writing this story where she was more specific about things that the Bible doesn’t elaborate on, the story was largely based on exactly what is accounted in the Bible. In her ‘Note From The Author’ section, Connilyn says that when any historical information she looks up conflicts with the Bible, she always ‘defers to the Word’ and I love and appreciate that she does this. I wouldn’t want to read a Biblical Fiction story if an author felt otherwise.
This story was predominantly about Kiya’s personal journey out of Egypt and finding her way to the one, true, living God, YAHWEH; recognizing that there is only one God and no other. Kiya had many gods/idols being from Egypt and struggled to let go of them.
There is a love story woven in here but it doesn’t really come to fruition until the last quarter of the book.
At first, the attraction didn’t make sense to me based on Eben’s harsh responses to Kiya and it didn’t seem like they had really gotten to know one another to develop feelings… But Connilyn really is that good of a writer that she made it make sense once this portion of the story begins to really evolve.
She writes in such a richly developed and captivating way, I forget that I’m reading a book and get completely immersed in the story. I never feel like I’m ‘just reading a book.’
Looking forward to the next one in the series! 😊
October 18, 2017
{2.5 stars}
When I started this book I found it refreshing. I'm not a fan of Biblical fiction, but as this began and the events of the ten plagues came to past I began to see a story that I could enjoy. A story of an Egyptian girl who finds all hope in Yahweh. I loved the portrayal of how Kaya is caught up in her Egyptian world and all the things she went through. I anticipated a read that would show her forgiving those who wronged her and she would find God.
This did happen, but in ways I wasn't a fan of. While the writing style is amazing and draws the reader right in, I found myself growing very annoyed by Eben as the story continued. There are many inaccurate scenes concerning betrothal of those days, and Eben's attitude toward Kaya as they become interested into one another would have been very wrong by the customs of the day. There was one scene at the end that unsettled me very much
I found it annoying that Kaya would be drawn to God through a relationship. To me, that's risky. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, but it really made God's power seem less than enough for Kaya.
Saying all this, I loved the historical events presented throughout and the scenes when Kaya is in Egypt (the first half of the book) were my favorite scenes of the book. And I still can't get over the scene toward the end when God speaks to His people had me shivering with awe and amazement. God is so powerful and awesome!
There are other things throughout I didn't love, but a friend of mine words it much more eloquently than I can ;) https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
When I started this book I found it refreshing. I'm not a fan of Biblical fiction, but as this began and the events of the ten plagues came to past I began to see a story that I could enjoy. A story of an Egyptian girl who finds all hope in Yahweh. I loved the portrayal of how Kaya is caught up in her Egyptian world and all the things she went through. I anticipated a read that would show her forgiving those who wronged her and she would find God.
This did happen, but in ways I wasn't a fan of. While the writing style is amazing and draws the reader right in, I found myself growing very annoyed by Eben as the story continued. There are many inaccurate scenes concerning betrothal of those days, and Eben's attitude toward Kaya as they become interested into one another would have been very wrong by the customs of the day. There was one scene at the end that unsettled me very much
I found it annoying that Kaya would be drawn to God through a relationship. To me, that's risky. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, but it really made God's power seem less than enough for Kaya.
Saying all this, I loved the historical events presented throughout and the scenes when Kaya is in Egypt (the first half of the book) were my favorite scenes of the book. And I still can't get over the scene toward the end when God speaks to His people had me shivering with awe and amazement. God is so powerful and awesome!
There are other things throughout I didn't love, but a friend of mine words it much more eloquently than I can ;) https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
March 1, 2023
Story Enjoyment Rating: 9/10 Christian Faith Rating: 3/3
Counted With the Stars is a biblical fiction book set during the time of the Exodus.
I loved the way that this book follows ordinary people through a very extraordinary period of history.
The story follows Kiya, an Egyptian sold into slavery to pay off her father’s debt. She ends up working with a Hebrew slave who tells her about the Lord and introduces her to her brother. The story takes us through all the plagues in Egypt and their consequences.
It was really interesting to see the plagues from Kiya’s perspective as an ordinary Egyptian who had no faith in the Lord at the beginning of the book. I loved seeing her journey of faith and her relationships – both romantic and with her family. The book had drama, romance, and friendship.
The faith content was central to the story and played a large part in the plot.
I would like to continue to read this series in the future.
(Content contains violence and references to sex)
Counted With the Stars is a biblical fiction book set during the time of the Exodus.
I loved the way that this book follows ordinary people through a very extraordinary period of history.
The story follows Kiya, an Egyptian sold into slavery to pay off her father’s debt. She ends up working with a Hebrew slave who tells her about the Lord and introduces her to her brother. The story takes us through all the plagues in Egypt and their consequences.
It was really interesting to see the plagues from Kiya’s perspective as an ordinary Egyptian who had no faith in the Lord at the beginning of the book. I loved seeing her journey of faith and her relationships – both romantic and with her family. The book had drama, romance, and friendship.
The faith content was central to the story and played a large part in the plot.
I would like to continue to read this series in the future.
(Content contains violence and references to sex)
June 25, 2022
Now this is a book I would love to be seen made into a movie! The imagery of the plagues and the departure from Egypt was so captivating I felt like I was experiencing it myself. I loved how the book was written from an Egyptians point of view. I only wish that we had gotten to read from Eben's point of view a couple times. Otherwise, I loved this book and I am very excited to read the rest of this series!!
November 8, 2021
5 Stars ✨!!
A beautiful story of an Egyptian woman sold as a slave to save her family from harm. Told during the time of Moses and the Exodus out of Egypt. It was so nice to view this story from an Egyptians point of view. Gave me a different perspective and I enjoyed it so much! Will be reading more from this author in the future.
A beautiful story of an Egyptian woman sold as a slave to save her family from harm. Told during the time of Moses and the Exodus out of Egypt. It was so nice to view this story from an Egyptians point of view. Gave me a different perspective and I enjoyed it so much! Will be reading more from this author in the future.
April 9, 2021
"My course was set. I had chosen to follow the Hebrews and their God and take my family on the path through the midst of the waters, wherever it may lead."
You just can't pick a more epic time in history to write/read about than the Exodus! Connilyn Cossette brought it to life with so many imagined details that made me think "of course that's probably the reality of the situation," from the logistics of wrangling a million people through the desert to the fact that every random Hebrew in the crowd probably didn't know all the conversations Moses and God were having, which we can now read in the Bible. This book was completely fascinating. One of my favorite things about Cossette's writing is her reverence for God. This book was primarily a love story between God and His people, including the foreigner among them, and there is no mistaking that. There is a human romance as well, and although it is sweet, it is quite obviously not the main event.
There were a couple small aspects of the story that I wasn't sure that I loved (such as the Israelites in effect selling themselves into slavery), but nothing that really turned me off or did more than make me go 'hm.' There is talk of the threat of sexual assault that never happens, but it was light enough to not concern me too much.
I liked this book quite a lot and I am grateful for Connilyn Cossette's contributions to Christian fiction. She has definitely earned her place and she has my recommendation.
You just can't pick a more epic time in history to write/read about than the Exodus! Connilyn Cossette brought it to life with so many imagined details that made me think "of course that's probably the reality of the situation," from the logistics of wrangling a million people through the desert to the fact that every random Hebrew in the crowd probably didn't know all the conversations Moses and God were having, which we can now read in the Bible. This book was completely fascinating. One of my favorite things about Cossette's writing is her reverence for God. This book was primarily a love story between God and His people, including the foreigner among them, and there is no mistaking that. There is a human romance as well, and although it is sweet, it is quite obviously not the main event.
There were a couple small aspects of the story that I wasn't sure that I loved (such as the Israelites in effect selling themselves into slavery), but nothing that really turned me off or did more than make me go 'hm.' There is talk of the threat of sexual assault that never happens, but it was light enough to not concern me too much.
I liked this book quite a lot and I am grateful for Connilyn Cossette's contributions to Christian fiction. She has definitely earned her place and she has my recommendation.
April 5, 2023
"But sometimes it seems to me like Yaweh chooses to work through the most unlikely of people."
Or work through the most unlikely books! This book was picked by my book club and at first I wasn't all that crazy to read it. The cover is absolutely stunning, but besides that I probably never would have picked this up to read. And it wold have been my loss! This book captured my heart! I absolutely loved it. I'm really impressed this was the author's debut novel. What talented writing! And a genius storyline. She brings to life the exodus of the Hebrews from Egypt. There really isn't a bad thing or criticism to say about this book. I'm excited to read the rest in the series.
"There is always hope. As long as we have breath in our bodies, there is hope."
Or work through the most unlikely books! This book was picked by my book club and at first I wasn't all that crazy to read it. The cover is absolutely stunning, but besides that I probably never would have picked this up to read. And it wold have been my loss! This book captured my heart! I absolutely loved it. I'm really impressed this was the author's debut novel. What talented writing! And a genius storyline. She brings to life the exodus of the Hebrews from Egypt. There really isn't a bad thing or criticism to say about this book. I'm excited to read the rest in the series.
"There is always hope. As long as we have breath in our bodies, there is hope."
December 13, 2020
This might be my favorite one yet. I've been reading a lot of different Christian books, regarding many different areas. This one is about the the exodus of Egypt and the miracles that took place. I love how the author tells the story from the point of view of a nonbeliever and addresses all the skepticism. It was honestly a beautiful story, told in an incredibly relatable manner. This author is phenomenally talented.
December 28, 2023
Counted with the Stars by Connilyn Cossette
#1 in the Out of Egypt series
Published 2016 by Bethany House Publishers
Genre: Christian, Fiction, Historical, Egypt - Fiction, Romance
5 Stars!
Summary/Description
Sold into slavery by her father and forsaken by the man she was supposed to marry, young Egyptian Kiya must serve a mistress who takes pleasure in her humiliation. When terrifying plagues strike Egypt, Kiya is in the middle of it all.
Connilyn Cossette is one of the very best Biblical fiction authors! The first in the Out of Egypt series, Counted with the Stars, is an incredible story and written in such a remarkable way that all my senses are engaged. From the feel of a papyrus mat under my feet to the smell of the multitude of frogs to a damp and dark room -- the details of this story had me totally captured. The development and growth of each character were well researched and authentically represented.
Counted with the Stars kept me turning the pages with anticipation, excitement, and sometimes fear. My emotions were on a rollercoaster ride as Kiya lived out the adventure the author created -- while using Scripture as the foundation and boundaries for this Biblical fiction work of art.
One amazing feature that stands out to me in Counted with the Stars is Biblical characters are mentioned and woven into the story, but the author did not take liberty to “enhance” or “change” or make me believe anything other than what is written in God’s Word about them. That takes talent and skill -- and a heart for God and His word. Likewise, the non-Biblical characters in this book were so real and likely to have been similar to someone who lived in that region at that time. Simply ah-mazing! :)
Reading a book such a Counted with the Stars, I am drawn closer to God with a new, better, and clearer understanding and “experience” of the Biblical time period of which this book covers. I truly thank God for this author, and I continually pray for her and her family.
When I finished this book, I look heavenward and repeated a line from the book: “What grace I had been shown today …”
#CountedWithTheStars #ConnilynCossette #BethanyHouse #OutOfEgypt
#1 in the Out of Egypt series
Published 2016 by Bethany House Publishers
Genre: Christian, Fiction, Historical, Egypt - Fiction, Romance
5 Stars!
Summary/Description
Sold into slavery by her father and forsaken by the man she was supposed to marry, young Egyptian Kiya must serve a mistress who takes pleasure in her humiliation. When terrifying plagues strike Egypt, Kiya is in the middle of it all.
Connilyn Cossette is one of the very best Biblical fiction authors! The first in the Out of Egypt series, Counted with the Stars, is an incredible story and written in such a remarkable way that all my senses are engaged. From the feel of a papyrus mat under my feet to the smell of the multitude of frogs to a damp and dark room -- the details of this story had me totally captured. The development and growth of each character were well researched and authentically represented.
Counted with the Stars kept me turning the pages with anticipation, excitement, and sometimes fear. My emotions were on a rollercoaster ride as Kiya lived out the adventure the author created -- while using Scripture as the foundation and boundaries for this Biblical fiction work of art.
One amazing feature that stands out to me in Counted with the Stars is Biblical characters are mentioned and woven into the story, but the author did not take liberty to “enhance” or “change” or make me believe anything other than what is written in God’s Word about them. That takes talent and skill -- and a heart for God and His word. Likewise, the non-Biblical characters in this book were so real and likely to have been similar to someone who lived in that region at that time. Simply ah-mazing! :)
Reading a book such a Counted with the Stars, I am drawn closer to God with a new, better, and clearer understanding and “experience” of the Biblical time period of which this book covers. I truly thank God for this author, and I continually pray for her and her family.
When I finished this book, I look heavenward and repeated a line from the book: “What grace I had been shown today …”
#CountedWithTheStars #ConnilynCossette #BethanyHouse #OutOfEgypt
July 22, 2019
Oh.My.What.A.Good.Read. I loved this book, I think it is the first I have read from Ms. Cossette, and it definitely will not be the last as I HAD to get the next two in the series. 😀
This is the story of Kiya, a young Egyptian girl whose father "sells" her to another man to be a house slave because he has lost all of his wealth with the loss of his ships. Kiya serves the wife who is full of hate for Kiya and will do nothing within her power to make Kiya see that she is no longer her equal. While there she meets Shira, a Hebrew, who starts sharing the stores of Mosheh and God and how they are waiting for the word to leave Egypt. Withstanding plagues and hatred, Kiya must also leave Egypt in order to save her brother from the killing of all first born Egyptian men. Kiya, her mother, and brother join Shira, her brother Eban, and their family on their exodus. But it is Eban, who catches Kiya eye, even though he is stubborn and rude. Along the way, Kiya finds that this new God, the one that Shira and Eban are following is actually the one she can count on.
I loved this book, could not put it down, and am anxious to see how the story continues. Learning of the different plagues that God put upon the Egyptian people, and the difficulties and frustrations of the people while they were leaving Egypt was very interesting. For all these reasons I gave this book 5 stars.
This is the story of Kiya, a young Egyptian girl whose father "sells" her to another man to be a house slave because he has lost all of his wealth with the loss of his ships. Kiya serves the wife who is full of hate for Kiya and will do nothing within her power to make Kiya see that she is no longer her equal. While there she meets Shira, a Hebrew, who starts sharing the stores of Mosheh and God and how they are waiting for the word to leave Egypt. Withstanding plagues and hatred, Kiya must also leave Egypt in order to save her brother from the killing of all first born Egyptian men. Kiya, her mother, and brother join Shira, her brother Eban, and their family on their exodus. But it is Eban, who catches Kiya eye, even though he is stubborn and rude. Along the way, Kiya finds that this new God, the one that Shira and Eban are following is actually the one she can count on.
I loved this book, could not put it down, and am anxious to see how the story continues. Learning of the different plagues that God put upon the Egyptian people, and the difficulties and frustrations of the people while they were leaving Egypt was very interesting. For all these reasons I gave this book 5 stars.
June 26, 2016
This debut brought to life what it was like to be an Egyptian and Hebrew slave during the time of the plagues and exodus. I thoroughly enjoyed Kiya's journey. After reading this novel, I feel like I've visited Egypt and the wilderness during the time of Moses.
I look forward to the next novel in this series.
I look forward to the next novel in this series.
February 28, 2023
My first Connilyn Cossett book, and I'm so excited to find another Biblical fiction era author that I think I'm going to really love!
A story of a privileged Egyptain girl sold into Slavery, and her encounter with the Jewish people during the time of Moses. Such a unique perspective of one women's point of view during these hard times. Loved it and can't wait to continue the series.
A story of a privileged Egyptain girl sold into Slavery, and her encounter with the Jewish people during the time of Moses. Such a unique perspective of one women's point of view during these hard times. Loved it and can't wait to continue the series.
April 5, 2023
5 STARS
Wow. Wow. Wow. Where do I even begin?
After seeing so many of my Goodreads friends read this book recently, I found myself intrigued. I wanted to give it a try, but because I’ve always been hesitant to read Biblical Fiction, I was extremely nervous. However, after seeing many of the reviewers I trust, particularly when it comes to theology, rave about this book, I knew I had to pick it up immediately. I AM SO GLAD THAT I DID.
Connilyn Cossette’s writing style is absolutely stunning and the fact that this was her debut novel is so incredibly impressive. I’ve always been a dialogue over description type of reader and I often find myself skipping over pages of description and internal thoughts. This did not happen as I was reading this book, however, and I found myself hanging onto every single word.
As for the story in itself, I loved reading about Kiya and her spiritual journey. Speaking of Kiya, the characters have most definitely played a role in my love for this book. The romance between Kiya and Eben…the friendship between Kiya and Shira…I couldn’t have asked for a better cast of characters. In fact, the only complaint I have is that I wish there would have been more Jumo, and I’m hoping that we get to see more of his character in the next book.
Overall, as you can likely tell, I adored this book. I’m so thankful that this was my first dip into Biblical Fiction and I have no doubt that I will continue to read every single book that Connilyn Cossette publishes.
Wow. Wow. Wow. Where do I even begin?
After seeing so many of my Goodreads friends read this book recently, I found myself intrigued. I wanted to give it a try, but because I’ve always been hesitant to read Biblical Fiction, I was extremely nervous. However, after seeing many of the reviewers I trust, particularly when it comes to theology, rave about this book, I knew I had to pick it up immediately. I AM SO GLAD THAT I DID.
Connilyn Cossette’s writing style is absolutely stunning and the fact that this was her debut novel is so incredibly impressive. I’ve always been a dialogue over description type of reader and I often find myself skipping over pages of description and internal thoughts. This did not happen as I was reading this book, however, and I found myself hanging onto every single word.
As for the story in itself, I loved reading about Kiya and her spiritual journey. Speaking of Kiya, the characters have most definitely played a role in my love for this book. The romance between Kiya and Eben…the friendship between Kiya and Shira…I couldn’t have asked for a better cast of characters. In fact, the only complaint I have is that I wish there would have been more Jumo, and I’m hoping that we get to see more of his character in the next book.
Overall, as you can likely tell, I adored this book. I’m so thankful that this was my first dip into Biblical Fiction and I have no doubt that I will continue to read every single book that Connilyn Cossette publishes.
November 14, 2017
Wow. What a fascinating story about the time of the Exodus from the perspective of an Egyptian woman, Kiya. She experiences the plagues and then leaves with the Hebrews after the death of Egypt's firstborn sons. One of the main internal struggles that Kiya faces throughout the book is her growing disbelief in the multiple Egyptian gods she and her family have always worshiped. The failure of her gods to protect her people during the plagues and to listen to her and others' pleas leaves her with significant questions; however, she is fearful of Yahweh's power and does not know if she can believe in Him. Her internal conflict and her eventual surrender to Yahweh was raw, powerful and truly moving.
The author has a true gift for making pages come alive! I almost felt as if I could taste, see, smell, hear and touch everything that she described. There's one particular scene that was really striking, when the Voice of Yahweh spoke to the Hebrews. Simply incredible.
Just one thing. The parting of the Red Sea scene seemed too short! There was a large buildup towards to the coming of Pharaoh's army and almost as soon as they had come the scene ended. I would have liked to read more about that part.
The writing style and topics were a bit similar to Mesu Andrews' books, so if you like Andrews I think you'll like Cossette. An amazing debut!
The author has a true gift for making pages come alive! I almost felt as if I could taste, see, smell, hear and touch everything that she described. There's one particular scene that was really striking, when the Voice of Yahweh spoke to the Hebrews. Simply incredible.
Just one thing. The parting of the Red Sea scene seemed too short! There was a large buildup towards to the coming of Pharaoh's army and almost as soon as they had come the scene ended. I would have liked to read more about that part.
The writing style and topics were a bit similar to Mesu Andrews' books, so if you like Andrews I think you'll like Cossette. An amazing debut!
January 15, 2016
What a great debut! I'm not really a fan of Biblical fiction, but from the moment I first heard this story's premise over 2 years ago, I've been eager to read it, and I'm excited to say it did not disappoint! While I don't generally like first-person POV, Cossette did a good job of bringing the other characters to life through the eyes and words of just the one storyteller, Kiya. The story started out strong and I loved the fresh retelling of the 10 Plagues and the Exodus through the perspective of an Egyptian. Once they were out of Egypt, however, the pace knocked off just a bit and seemed to lose that fresh originality in favor of a litany of miraculous experiences and a bit more internal dialogue than I care for. But there is a lot to love about this debut novel, and I will definitely be adding this to my keeper shelf... and holding my breath for the sequel!
July 27, 2019
Full review to come! ♥ (8/31/19)
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