Counted With The Stars by Connilyn Cossette

Kiya, an Egyptian, has to come to terms with her life as a slave. Once, her family was one of the top elite, but bad purchases and a loan hanging over his head, her father must sell her in order for him, his wife, and her brother to not be sold into slavery as well. Kiya has to endure humiliation and anger through her master's wife whom she serves very clumsily. In all this she gains a friend in Shira, a kind Hebrew woman who begins to tell her stories of her God while strange things keep happening all thanks to a man named Moses.

It's been very hard to get into books lately. I almost stopped reading on page two because I felt like I definitely wouldn't like this book. But after reading one more page, and then another; I kept on turning pages.

Kiya's journey took me through her emotions as a slave, her strength as a person, her love of her family, her discovery of God, her questioning her own beliefs, and finding out who she is and where she belongs. Cossette crafted a fantastic world that got me interested in Moses' story once again through the perspective of people living through Moses' plagues that he carried out in order to free his people.

I loved Kiya. She had moments of feeling broken down but she would never let those moments defeat her. She questioned the world, gods vs. the God, throughout her whole journey. It was nice to see a relatable character who opened up her mind to the possibilities. She realized that the Pharoah isn't perfect and that there needed to be a change in the world.

I loved Shira. She was Kiya's Hebrew best friend. She defended Kiya, sheltered her, and when encouraged, she told her stories of God. Her kindness is what made me love her the most. I felt like she radiated kindness and goodness.

I loved Kiya's brother, Jumo. Jumo has to use crutches and his speech isn't perfect. He paints lovely things on pots for his mother to sell. I really liked how he was portrayed as seeming to know everything. He was another kind being in Kiya's life.

There are multiple guys who like Kiya but there is really only one love interest that's important. I liked this person but, I thought towards the end he came on too strong. I can understand why based on the time period but things he said about when he first met her felt off. That is my only complaint about the story.

I enjoyed Counted With the Stars immensely. I'm so excited to continue the journey with Shira. Overall, I'm really happy to have finally read a Christian book once again after years of not doing so. Counted With the Stars being set in Biblical Times only added to my want to read more Christian books in the future.

Have you read a historical fiction book you've absolutely loved?

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