Counted With the Stars, by Connilyn Cossette tells the story of Kiya. The young woman is sold into slavery to cover her father’s debt, she must leave her luxurious life behind. When the deliverer of the Hebrews confronts Pharoah about the freedom of God’s people, she experiences every hardship. Kiya must make a life-changing choice before the final plague.
Counted With the Stars is a fascinating look at what the ten plagues may have looked like from the Egyptian viewpoint. Ms. Cossette did a great job of portraying not only the hardship of the plagues but also the sense of not knowing exactly what was going on by people who were not privileged to have been in Pharaoh’s presence when Moses made his proclamations.
I liked Kiya, though her naivety was sometimes frustrating, even if it was understandable. Still, we see her grow from a spoiled Egyptian to one who learned to endure hardships. We see her sacrifices for friends and family and see her character forge as she decides what to believe about YWH.
Eben’s animosity toward Kiya was tangled up in his history as a Hebrew slave who had been mistreated by Egyptians. Yet, their paths continually crossed.
His capitulation seemed sudden as we were not privy to Eben’s thoughts, but the way he cared for Kiya and her family spoke volumes.
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Eben and Kiya’s love story was tangled up in their search for freedom and their knowledge of and beliefs about God
Readers of Counted With the Stars will be reminded that God calls all people unto Himself. Those who answer the call will be blended into His family and become His people.
They will also be reminded that there is no God like Jehovah.
First Line of Counted With the Stars
“My sandals have not crossed this threshold since I was ten.” – Counted With the Stars, Connilyn Cossette
This first line perfectly sets up the story to come. It hints at an underlying tension between the POV character and whoever she’s meeting and at her apprehension.
There’s also a hint of mystery, who is she meeting and why?
About Counted With the Stars (Out From Egypt Book #1)
A Story of Love, Desperation, and Hope During a Great Biblical Epoch
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.
To save her older brother and escape the bonds of slavery, Kiya flees with the Hebrews during the Great Exodus. She finds herself utterly dependent on a fearsome God she’s only just beginning to learn about, and in love with a man who despises her people. With everything she’s ever known swept away, will Kiya turn back toward Egypt or surrender her life and her future to Yahweh?
About Connilyn Cossette
Connilyn Cossette is a Christy Award and Carol Award winning author whose books have been found on both ECPA and CBA bestseller lists.
When she is not engulfed in the happy chaos of homeschooling two teenagers, devouring books whole, or avoiding housework, she can be found digging into the rich ancient world of the Bible to discover gems of grace that point to Jesus and weaving them into an immersive fiction experience.
Although she and her husband have lived all over the country in their twenty-plus years of marriage, they currently call a little town south of Dallas, Texas their home.