Shelter of the Most High
by Connilyn Cossette
Pub Date02 Oct 2018
Bethany House |Bethany House Publishers
Christian



Bethany House and Netgalley provided me with a copy of The Shelter of the Most High for review:


Sofea, the daughter of a pagan high priest, finds solace in the ocean's freedom. When marauders attack her village on Sicily, she and her cousin are taken across the sea to Canaan.



For eleven years, Eitan has lived in Kedesh, a City of Refuge, haunted by a tragedy in his childhood and chafing at the boundaries placed on him. While he is instantly captivated by Sofea, revealing his most guarded secret could lead to danger.


Sofea and Eitan are plunged into a murder plot as threats from outside the walls loom and traitors are revealed within. Can they break free of the shackles of the past and reveal the betrayal in time to save themselves and those they love?


I give Shelter of the Most High five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

I love the books Connilyn Cossette writes. She is able to find the right balance between the stories of scripture added with a bit of believable imagination. I also love reading books that both encourage my faith, deepen my knowledge of history, and contain an enjoyable story. This book does all of those things! Even though this is Biblical "Fiction" I felt like I came away knowing more about Israel's history. This series address a lesser known concept of Cities of Refuge. I found the characters believable , and interesting. There are some surprising turns in this book that I didn't see coming! The main character wrestles with her upbringing and misconceptions about what God is like and learns about the real God and learns what faith means. It reminds me again and again that God can change a life. I have read 5 books by this author and this was my favorite, although I have enjoyed and recommend them all. I look forward to the next book in this series. I was provided with an Advance Readers Copy of this book for my honest review

In the novel, Sofea comes to the land of Canaan, a land where she knows no one, does not speak the language, and is surrounded by strange and unfamiliar customs and rituals all to please a god that she has never seen and can find no idols of anywhere in the house.
Meanwhile, Eitan, a side character from A Light on the Hill, struggles with the demons of his past. As his feelings for Sofea only deepen as they learn more about each other and get to know one another, the dark secrets of his past begin to cast shadows on his newfound happiness.
Still, he and his family try their very best to be the light that Sofea so desperately needs to give her new hope and move her from a place of fear and depression, to a place of refuge and joy. The king of joy that only God can bring.
Danger, traitors, pirates, and murder plots ensue, each bringing their own obstacles to Sofea and Eitan’s path as they try to build a love that transcends language.
Like each of this book’s predecessors, it tells an intriguing story which shines a light on a part of the Bible and Old Testament history that we don’t otherwise often hear about. I think that’s what makes Connilyn Cossette’s books so entertaining, that they are so new and unique compared to other works in the Biblical fiction genre. Unless you are a Biblical scholar, you might not have known about the Cities of Refuge in the Bible, but Connilyn Cossette chose to make them the setting for her series. Time after time, she brings to life otherwise forgotten worlds and passages, and each time she does so, she succeeds with incredible triumph.
This book was deep, hopeful, encouraging, exciting, and it was also entertaining! The things that Sofea so often misunderstood about the Hebrew culture and customs were almost comical, in a sad sort of way. Watching her experience that world and God for the first time was an amazing experience, as was the rest of the book.
I cannot recommend this book (and the previous books by this author) ENOUGH! You should definitely get a copy and consider reading the entire series if you can. You will not be disappointed.
While I did receive a copy of this book for review as a part of being on the book launch team for Shelter of the Most High, all opinions expressed are my own. This did not affect my rating of the book in any way.

The No. 1 Thing I Like Best about Shelter of the Most High
The first pages slung a stone into the pit of my stomach. First-person present tense. If I were a crying person, I’d have cried.

But once out of that first chapter, it slipped back into past tense—still first-person, but dual perspective, at least.

And it’s well-done first person. I have to give Ms. Cossette credit. She does it well. I didn’t “forget” that I was reading in the first person point of view, but it didn’t jar the whole time either. That helped.

I’ll also admit that seeing the droves of comments about her beautiful descriptions had left me nervous, too. I love well-done description, but I like it to be as sparse as it can while still setting a mood and giving the story context.

From the way these people raved, I suspected they were huge fans of authors like Dickens.

Was it as bad as I’d feared? Nope. In fact, after that first chapter (where admittedly, I was overly critical while my teeth were on edge from that first-person/present thing), I didn’t notice the description anymore. That’s just how I like it—there… doing its job… making me feel as if I am in the story, but never crushing me with the weight of it.

But that’s not the thing I liked best about Shelter of the Most High.

I liked the spiritual lessons.

Strong, full of life, the entire novel is a sermon that you don’t even realize is one until you’ve finished. Connilyn Cossette weaves in spiritual truths so deftly that you can’t help but learn even as you are pulled deeper and deeper into the story.

In this regard, she’s probably one of the best authors I’ve ever read.
Look, I don’t know if she does this well in every book. This is the first I’ve ever tried of hers. It will not be my last. In fact, there’s a previous book in the series, A Light on the Hill. I’ve already written a note for it to be ordered for me. And as much as I know this could be a fluke—just a happy gift from the Lord—I don’t believe it. I think this is the beginning of a very long, happy relationship between me and Ms. Cossette’s books.

Has anyone read her Out of Egypt series? Is it about actual Biblical people or events? I’m looking longingly at those, too.

Recommended for anyone who loves Biblical fiction, obviously. Additionally, I recommend it for people who just love a good, compelling storyline with beautiful spiritual truths.

I have one caveat. There are a few scenes near the beginning which are brutal. A few times I did wonder if I’d be able to keep reading. However, once Sofea & Prizi reach Kedesh, the brutality ends. There are only references to it in a much less detailed fashion. That she took me to that edge but didn’t push me over is why I can still say I loved the book. I will say, however, my arms swung in circles to propel me backward a couple of times.

Connilyn Cossette is becoming one of the best Biblical Fiction writers of our times. She has a wonderful way of introducing you to the most lovable and hatable characters you will encounter. As you read her book the Bible story you've always known starts to take shape above and around what you thought you knew. Walk through the camps of old Israel and look around in a way you've never been able to do. Struggle along with the protagonist in a way that makes the flat felt board stories you knew from Sunday School and makes them into full on 3d versions of a new and real community. Cossette is a master author, story teller and truth giver.

I loved this book and I think Cossette is a new favorite author. Rich plot lines, deep and intriguing characters along with deep theology make a winning combination.

First, let me start by saying that this is the first book of Connilyn's I have read, and I really enjoyed it. It was interesting to read a book set in one of the Levitical cities of refuge, especially since it is something I have wondered about how it worked, whether they actually implemented that part of the law, etc. The author does a good job of making this world come alive and made me feel as if I were there.

I also loved the characters, I loved reading about Sofea and Prezi's life before they ended up in the Kedesh and how they adjust to life in a different place where almost no one speaks the language. I also liked getting to know Eitan, Moriyah, Darek and Nadir throughout the course of the novel and how they ended up in the city of refuge. The plot is great and I love how it kept me on my toes when I was reading. I am looking forward to reading more from Connilyn Cossette in the future.

I was given a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review. I was not asked to give a favorable review or given money in exchange for it. All opinions expressed in my review are my own.

Again another riveting good read! From the start of the Out of Egypt to this last installment of the series City of Refuge, with every single one of these books, Connilyn never fails to deliver a good read! I will not be leaving a detailed review of the book so as not to leave spoilers for GoodReads followers. But I would say read from the beginning every single one of these books!

Connilyn Cossette is the queen of Christian Fiction! I'd never connected or fallen in love with Christian Fiction more than I did when I discovered Connilyn Cossette's novels. She explores subjects of the Old Testament (Torah) that most skim over and makes them her own. I always feel like I've transported back into Biblical times when I read Connilyn's words. She has a way of bringing elegance and truth into every page. I love the way the stories progress in a pure and godly way! They also don't shy away from some brutal parts of the establishment of Israel, it was no cherry-picking occurrence.
Shelter of the Most High, book two in the Cities of Refuge series, was the perfect addition. Picking up eleven years after A Light on the Hill, book one, the story starts with the introduction of a new character, Sofea.
Born in Sicily, Sofea’s deepest love is the sea. Only when she’s in the water, do the burdens of being a pagan high priest’s daughter leave her, and she is truly free. However, when marauders attack her village, Sofea and her cousin, Prezi, find their lives taking a significant twist when they are taken across the sea and end up in Canaan. Feeling like her gods have abandoned them, Sofea is determined to keep her cousin alive and escape these strange people whom they have stumbled upon. Who is this One God, Yahweh, that these people worship? Is He really bigger than Sofea's gods whom people have died for?
Meanwhile, in Kedesh, Eitan is weighted down with guilt from the events that occurred eleven years ago. Struggling within the walls of Kedesh, a city of refuge, he doesn’t know what his life will become until he meets Sofea. However, can he tell her his darkest secret? Or will it only bring more devastation in her life?
Shelter of the Most High explores all of these questions and more throughout its pages. I felt utterly enraptured with this book, it was so beautifully written and ceased to lose my attention. I loved how the book showed the perspective of both Sofea and Eitan rather than one of them. I find it so neat to read the accounts of two people since one perceives different from another. If you have read A City of Refuge, then you need to get Shelter of the Most High ASAP!
Thank you, Connilyn, for allowing me to be a part of your launch team. Your writing brings me so much inspiration and joy every time I pick up one of your books. Never stop telling the stories God is giving you!

Shelter of the Most High is the second book in the Cities of Refuge series. Although it is the second book in the series you are able to read this book as a stand alone novel with no problem. It is a gripping historical fiction book that takes you back to ancient Israel. When Sofea is taken from her village after the brutal murder of her entire village. She is alone with her cousin in a foreign land where no one speaks their language when she is rescued and taken to Kedesh, a city of refuge. There she is taken in by Eitan’s family. Eitan has been bound to the city of refuge for eleven years due to tragic accident in which the blame had been placed on him. Can Sofea overcome her fears and misconceptions and allow herself to grow close to Eitan, or will his own past prevent him from ever.When outside forces threaten both of them and their loved ones will they be able save themselves and the ones they love.

Shelter of the Most High is a wonderful mix of historical fiction, mystery and romance. I highly recommend this book and will be reading more of the Author,Connilyn Cossette ‘s works.

I received a copy of this novel from Celebrate Lit, this in no way influenced my review. All opinions are my own.

This is the second novel in Connilyn Cossette’s Cities of Refuge series. While it is a standalone novel, the backstory will make more sense if you read A Light on the Hill first.

After Sofea and Prezi’s families are murdered in a pirate raid, they are taken from their home on Sicily to Israel. A series of events leads them to Israel, to the city of Kadesh, one of the ancient Hebrew Cities of Refuge. Here they are taken in by Moriyah, who runs the inn (and who was the main character in A Light on the Hill).

The opening chapters are full of action, but it felt like the story took a long time to get going. I think this is because it takes several chapters before Sofea and Prezi reach Kadesh, and before we meet the hero of the story (I initially thought the hero was one of the pirates, but I was wrong).

Etian is Moriyah’s adopted son, and the reason he and Moriyah have both been banished to Kadesh. As Sofea learns the local language and settles in Kadesh, she and Etian fall for each other … but Sofea is a child of the sea and Etian can’t leave the city to take her to the sea. The result is I found the second half of the book wasn’t as strong, as it focused on a suspense thread at the expense of the characters.

There is also (unsurprisingly) a strong faith thread in Shelter of the Most High, as both Sofea and Prezi learn about the Yahweh, the Hebrew One God, and the way he cares for his people. Recommended for Biblical fiction fans.

Thanks to Bethany House and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

Loved reading this! I wasn't sure what to expect, but this book is so much more than I first thought! So good!

Sofea and her cousin Prezi are taken by marauders from their island home in Sicily, and find themselves alone outside of Kedesh.



Eitan has grown up inside the walls of the refuge city, Kedesh, and has taken the Nazarite vow, wearing his hair long. He longs to serve his countrymen as a soldier like his step-father, Darek, but due to the the tragedy in his past he must remain within the city. He is enchanted by the beautiful Sofea, and their friendship grows as the barrier of language fades.



As a murder conspiracy is uncovered and trusts are betrayed will they learn to trust the One True God, who is a shelter and comfort to those who love Him?



I loved how this book picks up Eitan's story eleven years after the events of the previous book, and though this book also stands well on its own, I don't know why anyone wouldn't want to read Moriyah and Darek's story in A Light on the Hill. Eitan is an intelligent young man, with a stubbornness that is both his strength and his weakness. He loves his siblings and adores his mother, Moriyah, while his relationship with Darek is more complex. He is honorable and fights to do what is right, even when he doesn't want to.



Sofea and her cousin share a close bond, brought even closer as they are strangers in a new land. Sofea is willing to put aside her strong will for her cousin's safety, she is drawn to her new friends and their God who is unlike the demanding and unforgiving gods of her homeland. I admired her sacrificial love for her cousin and her friends, she is quick thinking and daring.



A story of love, sacrifice, family, betrayal, and God's unfailing love, set during the years after the Israelites entered the Promised Land. Well researched I love how these books help me to think more about the struggles that God's people faced entering the promised land. Ms. Cossette uses beautiful, lush descriptions that bring the story to life. Prezi is one of my favorite characters, she is a cousin and sister to Sofea, she wants the best for her friend and her calm demeanor compliments Sofea well. Another terrific story from Connilyn Cossette, with a action-packed and tension fraught climax.



I received a complimentary copy of this book.

Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Second in the Cities of Refuge series by this author, Shelter of the Most High does not disappoint. It is a book that can not stand alone because you need the history of the characters and the knowledge from the prior book to fully appreciate the storyline; however, I highly recommend this series especially to those who love biblical historical settings.



Sofea is a pagan princess rescued along with her cousin after fleeing from the abuse of sea marauders who had destroyed their village and their families. They don't speak the language of their rescuers and assume that they are now their slaves.



Eitan's Father, Darek was among the men to rescue the girls and now his mother and family intend to take care of them offering shelter, food, and care. Eitan is drawn to Sofea but knows he must be patient and wait until she has assimulated and can communicate with him.



Sofea doesn't trust her benefactors or their God. She searches for ways to get free and return to something she recognizes. But, Eitan's kindness and attempts to communicate with her and woo her begin to win her over. Then her reticent cousin reveals what she has discovered of the city in which they live, how it houses murderers who have sought asylum. Sofea balks and wants to get away until Eitan proposes and reveals his own tragic past.



Things escalate as consequences from Eitan's past capture Sofea and her cousin in the evil web of deceit and danger. Eitan is forced to choose between disobeying his adoptive Father risking his life outside the City of Refuge or failing to rescue the woman he loves. This book and series deserves a place in your reading stack if not on your bookshelf. Thanks to Bethany House for allowing me to read this ebook through Netgalley.

This was a sweet story and a good follow up to Light on a Hill, which follows Eitan, who was only a small bullied orphan boy in the last book.

I'm quite new to Biblical Fiction, and the setting felt generally credible. Its set in the period between the Exodus from Egypt and the time of the Judges, chronicled in the Jewish Old Testament and said to have occurred here about 1300 BC.

There was nothing at all wrong with this story. I just found the romance a bit 'Insta-Love' and it came over as a little predictable in places. Many stories are like that though.

What I did enjoy seeing was the development of some of the characters and their story, and the idea of the cities of Refuge where people guilty of manslaughter (not murder) could flee too to escape being killed in revenge. I understand it was a concept which, a 2000 years later gave rise to some of the Sanctuary Laws in Europe.

Its also an interesting representation of early Judaism, and how people might have living in a period of early settlement. Recommended for fans of fiction set in Biblical times.

I requested an E-Galley of this title from Netgalley, and eventually purchased the Kindle edition of my own volition. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions expressed are my own.

Another gem of biblical fiction from Connilyn Cossette, Shelter of the Most High does not disappoint. As the story of Sofea and Eitan unfolds on the pages, the history of the cities of refuge comes to life, once again, in captivating detail. Add to this the page-turning drama of danger, betrayal, murderous intent, and of course, romance, and this latest novel from Connilyn Cossette is not one to easily put down. Shelter of the Most High kept me reading late into the night, eager to discover what would happen next. It’s a book I highly recommend and is sure to be on my list of favorites for the year, right next to A Light on the Hill.

Wow...this was a great and emotional followup to the first book in the series! Connilyn's writing is magnificent. She puts a lot of research into creating these stories and it grips you into the story. Once again, I felt as if I was standing next to the characters watching everything play out. Flawless writing. This was the sequel to A Light on the Hill which follows precious Eitan eleven years after the events of the book.

Eitan has grown up to become a very bright, fit and hardworking young man. At the age of 20 he still knows the value of working hard. I loved how he still had his moments of playfulness. I loved his boldness and how he didn't allow things to scare him. With 11 years between now and his past you could see that he still had things he struggled with, but he also still had a lot of guilt in his actions that affected Moriyah. His love for her is still as profound as ever. I enjoyed the hardships he had with Darek because it made for some emotional joy at the end. Eitan was adorable in the first book and he was handsome in this book. He grew into a well-mannered young man and valued the importance of both God and family. I loved him!

Sofea is a sixteen year daughter of a pagan high priest. Her mother was the favored one of her fathers wives. She grew up in a hostile environment of cruelty and murder. Her views on life were very different and highly misconstrued. I enjoyed seeing her growth in her beliefs and way of life. I loved how brave she was and how hard she pushed forward despite the odds. She was working her faith without even knowing or understanding it. I loved her willingness to try even if for the wrong reasons at times. She had such a pure heart. I loved it.

The romance between Eitan and Sofea was instant, but neither acknowledged it because there was much between them -- especially language barrier. I loved seeing them grow closer as Eitan taught her Hebrew. I loved how bold Eitan was with her. The flirts between them were just too adorable. They did have struggles, especially with Eitan's past creeping up, but I loved how much Sofea cared for him.

Prezi, Sofea's cousin, was a broken girl. Considering how things went for them she was broken beyond repair to most, however, her time in Kedesh allowed her to find peace and joy again. I loved her willingness and understanding of God to follow Him. Most would not have believed, but she was willing to change it all for Him. She found peace in God and He gave her renewed strength. I loved Prezi's faith.

Moriyah is still my favorite character ever! She has always been a strong character for me, but seeing her fulfill the role of a mother with six children was amazing. She had such amazing faith. She may be a fictional character, but she inspires me to move deeper with my faith because she had some true saving faith.

Darek is shown more in the light of a father in this book and I love it. The tension between him and Eitan was intense. He loved Eitan like his own son, but of course Eitan believed otherwise. I love how much Darek loved and cared for Eitan. Never once did he abandon him. Great example of a father!

Baz was still funny as ever, maybe even more in the sequel. Tal was awesome too! Nadir was a terrible person. When he was first introduced in the story he seemed a bit fishy, but I was even more surprised with all the information about him that was revealed. I could not believe that Raviv was still on his revenge binge. He irritates me, however, I do hope that after Darek did what he did, that they might be able to reconcile down the line.

I am excited about the third book which follows little Malakhi, Moriyah's son and Eitan's brother and little Rivkah, Tal's sister. I can't wait to see Moriyah and her family again!

I didn't realize this book was book 2 in the series but the story flowed well enough on its own that I didn't feel like I was lost without book 1. However, after reading Shelter of the Most High I plan to go back and read the first book. Biblical Historical books I've read before were usually about characters we find in the Bible, so this was a fresh new perspective on the subject for me. There was plenty enough action to keep me glued to the pages and praying all the main characters made it through their trails and tribulations they face while being in the city of refuge.

This was a fascinating read. I had never read anything by Connilyn Cossette before but she came highly recommended to me as a Biblical Fiction author. Shelter of the Most High did not disappoint. This is the second title in the series, so I am looking forward to going back and reading the first book. Sofea is a character that I won't soon forget.

When I got this book to review, I discovered it was book #2 in the series. So I immediately got Book #1 from the library. After reading it, I was even more excited to read and review "Shelter of the Most High." And I wasn't disappointed. As with book one, the author gets your attention on page one, the storyline forcing you to keep reading to find out what happens next. And because it's book 2, "Shelter of the Most High" causes one to read until you can figure out how it's going to tie in with book one!
I enjoyed these two books so much I've already put a library hold on the books from the "Out of Egypt" series. I highly recommend!