Between the Wild Branches
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- Create Date：2021-07-07 13:31:27
- Update Date：2025-09-06
- Status：finish
- Author：Connilyn Cossette
- ISBN：B08MY1SJDW
- Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
Reviews
Brenda
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Connilyn Cossette has done it again！ I have so enjoyed Lukio’s story and of course Shoshana。 This is the second book in the Covenant House Series and you could read it first but I would suggest reading To Dwell Among Cedars first。 I felt sorry for Lukio even in the first book and was so glad that this book is about him。 Oh the joys of reading the sequel of a book about a character you already have met。 So much happens that it’s hard to quit reading and go do life。 If I just had five hours straig Connilyn Cossette has done it again！ I have so enjoyed Lukio’s story and of course Shoshana。 This is the second book in the Covenant House Series and you could read it first but I would suggest reading To Dwell Among Cedars first。 I felt sorry for Lukio even in the first book and was so glad that this book is about him。 Oh the joys of reading the sequel of a book about a character you already have met。 So much happens that it’s hard to quit reading and go do life。 If I just had five hours straight to read I would be a happy camper！ A book just don’t come any better when you have a wonderful plot， romance and redemption。 It’s just an inspirational journey to read a story like this in Biblical times。 Please don’t miss reading this series if you like Biblical fiction even a little bit。 Personally I think Mrs。 Cossette will win you over。 I know I want to read every one of her books and I have read several already。 I received a NetGalley copy and a paperback from the publisher but was not required to write a positive review。 All opinions are my own。 。。。more
Dina Ovando-Brown
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Between the Wild Branches was a wonderful conclusion to the "To dwell among the Cedars"， also a great book！ It had very illuminating cultural context and descriptions， unexpected turns， some sadness and such joy develop throughout the book， all the while demonstrating God's love， mercy and faithfulness。 I highly recommend it！ Between the Wild Branches was a wonderful conclusion to the "To dwell among the Cedars"， also a great book！ It had very illuminating cultural context and descriptions， unexpected turns， some sadness and such joy develop throughout the book， all the while demonstrating God's love， mercy and faithfulness。 I highly recommend it！ 。。。more
Gloria Moseley
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The hits just keep coming from Connilyn Cossette as she presents to us her latest jewel， “Between the Wild Branches。” Lukio and Shoshana reprise their roles as lead characters in a story that picks up perfectly from “To Dwell Among Cedars。” The plotlines are flawless， and the character development is unsurpassed。 Each twist and turn is beautifully crafted to create a story so seamless and compelling that the reader simply can’t put the book down。 Connilyn Cossette’s research into the culture of The hits just keep coming from Connilyn Cossette as she presents to us her latest jewel， “Between the Wild Branches。” Lukio and Shoshana reprise their roles as lead characters in a story that picks up perfectly from “To Dwell Among Cedars。” The plotlines are flawless， and the character development is unsurpassed。 Each twist and turn is beautifully crafted to create a story so seamless and compelling that the reader simply can’t put the book down。 Connilyn Cossette’s research into the culture of the time is spot-on。 I cannot wait for her next book。Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher and was not required to write a favorable review。 All opinions are my own。 。。。more
Pam
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Between the Wild Branches， Connilyn CossetteThis is book #2 in a two part series。 This second book， takes up the story began in To Dwell Among Cedars， of Lukio， the rebellious and angry younger brother of Arisa。 Ten years after Lukio has arrived back in the Philistine city of Ashdod， he has become a championl but lonely fighter。 Lukio is unexpectedly reconnected with Shoshana， his childhood love。 Both have suffered and endured many changes。 Shoshana is now a captured Hebrew slave and Lukio becom Between the Wild Branches， Connilyn CossetteThis is book #2 in a two part series。 This second book， takes up the story began in To Dwell Among Cedars， of Lukio， the rebellious and angry younger brother of Arisa。 Ten years after Lukio has arrived back in the Philistine city of Ashdod， he has become a championl but lonely fighter。 Lukio is unexpectedly reconnected with Shoshana， his childhood love。 Both have suffered and endured many changes。 Shoshana is now a captured Hebrew slave and Lukio becomes engaged to the king’s daughter。 The king is obsessed with finding the ark of the covenant and destroying all the Hebrews。 This book is a fictional story based on the Biblical account of the capture of the ark of the covenant in 1 Samuel。 It is a gripping and involved story that was enhanced by knowing the story from book #1 in the series but could be read on its own。 I looked forward each day to sitting down and reading it！ While the book begins with the story from 1 Samuel 4 and weaves characters that are both believable and intriguing while culturally accurate。 The plot has many twists and turns and I enjoyed both the surprises and resolution of the story。 If you enjoy fictional stories based in ancient cultures， you’ll enjoy this book （and all the books by this author！）。 To say I love this author’s writing is putting it mildly。 I have read all her books and will look forward to reading whatever else she writes。 I was provided with a digital copy of the book from Bethany House for my honest review。 All opinions are my own。 。。。more
Beth
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“My opponent wavered on his feet， catching his breath from the relentless attack I’d delivered to his torso， and in that brief moment， my attention flitted up to the balcony that surrounded this royal courtyard…。Surely it was only a trick of the light that familiar hazel eyes gazed down at me…”-Lukio， Between the Wild BranchesBetween the Wild Branches by Connilyn Cossette is the second in The Covenant House series。 To Dwell Among Cedars was the first。 The series tells the stories of two siblings “My opponent wavered on his feet， catching his breath from the relentless attack I’d delivered to his torso， and in that brief moment， my attention flitted up to the balcony that surrounded this royal courtyard…。Surely it was only a trick of the light that familiar hazel eyes gazed down at me…”-Lukio， Between the Wild BranchesBetween the Wild Branches by Connilyn Cossette is the second in The Covenant House series。 To Dwell Among Cedars was the first。 The series tells the stories of two siblings， a brother and sister， both Philistines， but both very different， with different paths to take in life。 The first book is mainly about the sister。 The second book is about Lukio， and his closest childhood friend， Shoshanna。 They are both characters in the first， but we get to see how their story continues in the second。At the beginning of the second novel， Lukio is back in Ashdod， one of five cities occupied by the Philistines， as a successful fighter， and has achieved wealth and notoriety because of his skills in fighting。 Shoshana has been brought to Ashdod as a slave after the Philistines raided the Hebrew land where she lived。 They are reunited under some precarious circumstances， and the plot begins。Between the Wild Branches was a great sequel and wrap up to the first book。 It was great to see the characters again because I enjoyed their stories so much。 I read it in about two days， and a lot of my time was spent fighting the urge to turn to the end and find out how the author resolved everything that was going on。 It was that intense！There was lots of action， unique surprises， and scenarios that I kept wondering how the author was going to work out。 The characters got themselves into so many predicaments that you wondered how they would ever untangle themselves。 The plot was brilliant！！！There was some violence in this novel that was not for the faint of heart。 The Philistines were brutal and had some horrible practices。 I didn’t know a lot of details about them， other than what I have read in the Bible in relation to well known people like Samson and David。The setting is during the time period of the Judges in the Old Testament。 So if you like historical fiction set in Biblical eras， you will enjoy this novel。 Many blessings as you read！ 。。。more
Rebecca Tellez
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My dilemma is how to write a review that will do justice to this book。 Once again Connilyn Cossette has taken us to Old Testament times and dropped us into a story of people and places we read about in Scripture。 Her in-depth research of people and places of Biblical times， allow us to see， hear and feel right along with the people in her stories。We first met Lucio in To Dwell Amongst Cedars as an orphaned Philistine boy who fled Ashdod with his sister， Arisa， following The Ark。 Ten years later My dilemma is how to write a review that will do justice to this book。 Once again Connilyn Cossette has taken us to Old Testament times and dropped us into a story of people and places we read about in Scripture。 Her in-depth research of people and places of Biblical times， allow us to see， hear and feel right along with the people in her stories。We first met Lucio in To Dwell Amongst Cedars as an orphaned Philistine boy who fled Ashdod with his sister， Arisa， following The Ark。 Ten years later we find him back in his hometown of Ashdod where he is known as the famous fighter “Demon Eyes”。 Has the fame and fortune satisfied him as he dreamed it would？ Seeing Shoshana， a friend from his time in Kiryat-Yearim， throws his planned- out life into a tale spin。 How did this Hebrew girl end up in Ashdod and how will meeting her again change the course of their lives， and will he stop fighting the call of The One Who Sees and surrender to the One True God leaving behind him the pagan gods of his homeland？Romance， intrigue， murder， pagan practices， prodigals， families， faith， and hope because of The One Who Sees make this a must-read book of the summer。 I wish I could give this book 10 stars。 Even readers who do not read Biblical fiction will enjoy this book。 I recommend reading the first book in this Covenant House series To Dwell Among Cedars first because you will meet the characters and have a deeper understanding of all that transpires in Between the Wild Branches。Thank you to the publisher， author and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book。 All thoughts and opinions are my own。 I was not required to write a positive review。 。。。more
Robyn Seitzler
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Excellent Read！I devoured “To Dwell among Cedars” and rather impatiently waited for “Between the Wild Branches”。 My book arrived and I was torn between reading slowly and savoring， or barging ahead and reading as fast as I could 。 Maybe I reached a happy medium， maybe not， but this I know， I AM HAPPY！ Ms。 Cossette spins a tale that takes you right into the ancient cities and communities as well as into the hearts of her characters！ Never boring， “Between the Wild Branches” will take you down pat Excellent Read！I devoured “To Dwell among Cedars” and rather impatiently waited for “Between the Wild Branches”。 My book arrived and I was torn between reading slowly and savoring， or barging ahead and reading as fast as I could 。 Maybe I reached a happy medium， maybe not， but this I know， I AM HAPPY！ Ms。 Cossette spins a tale that takes you right into the ancient cities and communities as well as into the hearts of her characters！ Never boring， “Between the Wild Branches” will take you down paths that twist and turn and sometimes are very hard to read， but keep going！ This is a journey you won”t want to miss！ 。。。more
Phyllis
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Intrigue and danger aboundThere is a reason the theme of the prodigal restored is so prevalent in literature。 It's because， if we are honest with ourselves， we all relate so well to the son in need of redemption and restoration。Between the Wild Branches continues Lukio's story from To Dwell among Cedars。 This lonely orphan never felt he belonged to the gracious family who adopted him and his sister。 Not because they lacked kindness - he merely felt he lacked worth。But you'll need to be prepared Intrigue and danger aboundThere is a reason the theme of the prodigal restored is so prevalent in literature。 It's because， if we are honest with ourselves， we all relate so well to the son in need of redemption and restoration。Between the Wild Branches continues Lukio's story from To Dwell among Cedars。 This lonely orphan never felt he belonged to the gracious family who adopted him and his sister。 Not because they lacked kindness - he merely felt he lacked worth。But you'll need to be prepared with tissues at hand！ I wanted to weep over Shoshana's agony and loss。 And over Lukio's pain when he realized the life he had sought was empty and he had rejected the only ones who truly loved him。 But the tears truly fell as I read Yonah's declaration when he learned of Lukio whereabouts。Between the Wild Branches is a beautiful story of forgiveness and restoration - of the God who sustains the captive and redeems the lost。Many aspects of the Philistines' lifestyle are described and yet the ugliness of their life and religious practices notwithstanding， the author never went into more detail than necessary。 Despite women enduring atrocities at the hands of their pagan captors， it was mentioned more as a contrast to the behavior expected and allowed by the gracious God of the Hebrews in times of war。 Again， it was clear what had happened without mentioning particulars that would have made this inappropriate for sensitive readers。Readers who love Biblical fiction will want to be sure to read the marvelous Covenant House duology！Originally Reviewed on Among The ReadsI was given a copy of this book。 I was not required to give a favorable review nor was any money received for this review。 All comments and opinions are my own。 。。。more
Marian Baay
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What a wonderful surprise this book was！ I won't give away any spoilers， but will stick to praising the author for her ability to create a believable， suspenseful story with wonderful characters。 I'm usually not a big fan of Biblical historical fiction， but Cossette's work is different。 I love all her books。 What a wonderful surprise this book was！ I won't give away any spoilers， but will stick to praising the author for her ability to create a believable， suspenseful story with wonderful characters。 I'm usually not a big fan of Biblical historical fiction， but Cossette's work is different。 I love all her books。 。。。more
Steph
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Every review I write for one of Cossette's books gets easier and easier， because simply put。。。 her writing flat-out blows me away。 Each time she invites me into a new story， she transports me to another place and time where I not only see the vibrant colors and textures in the pictures she's painting for me， I can taste things like salty olives and honeyed milk on my tongue， and smell the lavender and jasmine as if I were walking through the lush garden settings myself。 I can hear the crowds che Every review I write for one of Cossette's books gets easier and easier， because simply put。。。 her writing flat-out blows me away。 Each time she invites me into a new story， she transports me to another place and time where I not only see the vibrant colors and textures in the pictures she's painting for me， I can taste things like salty olives and honeyed milk on my tongue， and smell the lavender and jasmine as if I were walking through the lush garden settings myself。 I can hear the crowds cheering for the champion in the fighting ring， and likewise， witness the Hebrews' struggle and pain。There is a purity in the romantic arcs of Cossette's books that is unmatched in its intensity。 And the chemistry of her characters is so cleverly woven throughout this story that the pages turn while the plot thickens， and sometimes it's all you can do to pace yourself in order to absorb every word in your eagerness to see how it all unfolds。 Lukio and Shoshana's story is one of lost loves and second chances， filled with inspiration and intrigue。 Between the Wild Branches just might be one of my favorites of Cossette's so far， the ending bittersweet only in that I was reluctant to leave the world she'd so eloquently brought to life。 。。。more
Jane
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Connilyn Cossette has done it again with Between the Wild Branches。 She makes the Bible come to life。 Cossette takes a small passage of scripture， researches the events and cultures surrounding it， and writes a story around it。 Covenant House duology takes the premise of what could have happened if two Philistine children had followed the ark when the Philistines returned it to the Israelites？In book 1 we followed the story of Risi， the big sister who acclimated well into the Hebrew world。 Book Connilyn Cossette has done it again with Between the Wild Branches。 She makes the Bible come to life。 Cossette takes a small passage of scripture， researches the events and cultures surrounding it， and writes a story around it。 Covenant House duology takes the premise of what could have happened if two Philistine children had followed the ark when the Philistines returned it to the Israelites？In book 1 we followed the story of Risi， the big sister who acclimated well into the Hebrew world。 Book 2 follows the story of Lukio， the younger brother who had to go back to Phillistia because he didn't believe he had been accepted by their adoptive family。 The story that Cossette weaves will draw readers in and give them a glimpse into the lives of the Philistines。 Between the Wild Branches is Biblical fiction that gives readers factual information from sources beside scripture。 She includes some of her research at the close of the book。 Connilyn Cossette has hinted that these characters may show up in a future novel。 I hope so as I feel attached to them and what to read more about them。 Between the Wild Branches is adult Biblical fiction but it could find its way into a k-12 Christian school library。 It is appropriate for middle school and up。 I received a complimentary copy of Between the Wild Branches as part of the launch team。 This is my honest review。 。。。more
Lifeofliterature
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Oh my goodness， this book was so hard to put down！ I was excited to read about Lukio after finishing To Dwell Among Cedars （the first book in The Covenant House series） and I was not disappointed in his novel。 I do recommend that you read these books in order to best understand the characters， which are told with great depth and development。 I thought the author did a phenomenal job of researching the Biblical context and then using the fictional storyline to bring the circumstances to life。 I f Oh my goodness， this book was so hard to put down！ I was excited to read about Lukio after finishing To Dwell Among Cedars （the first book in The Covenant House series） and I was not disappointed in his novel。 I do recommend that you read these books in order to best understand the characters， which are told with great depth and development。 I thought the author did a phenomenal job of researching the Biblical context and then using the fictional storyline to bring the circumstances to life。 I felt immersed in the culture of Biblical times。 There are some serious topics consistent with the culture at that time， but I do think the author did a fantastic job of weaving hope throughout the story。 It left me feeling satisfied with the ending。 The novel had unexpected twists and turns that kept it interesting and made it hard to stop reading。 I highly recommend this novel！I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author。 Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own。 。。。more
Adrienne
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This book is fabulous！ It's so well-written， with tons of details that show what day-to-day life was like at the time， interesting plot lines that show the tensions and conflicts between the Philistines and Hebrews in addition to the main storyline， and absolutely wonderful characters in Lukio and Shoshana。 Shoshana has this quiet strength that made me admire her， while， Lukio， who is a bit of a mess but a heart of gold， absolutely stole my heart。 He has just such a relatable character， with wou This book is fabulous！ It's so well-written， with tons of details that show what day-to-day life was like at the time， interesting plot lines that show the tensions and conflicts between the Philistines and Hebrews in addition to the main storyline， and absolutely wonderful characters in Lukio and Shoshana。 Shoshana has this quiet strength that made me admire her， while， Lukio， who is a bit of a mess but a heart of gold， absolutely stole my heart。 He has just such a relatable character， with wounds from his childhood that hadn't quite healed leaving him hurting and vulnerable and kind of lost。 I loved seeing how he just couldn't help but be kind to people， even as he has spent his life pushing people away。 I just loved reading his story and seeing how things played out for him and Shoshana。 Even though there's a lot of dark stuff that happens in this book， due to the violence and depravity of the Philistine culture， it was still such a boost to my spirit as it showed how God's goodness and love can shine even in those dark places and times。 I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book！I read an ARC provided by the author via #NetGalley。 All opinions are my own。 。。。more
Linda Palmer
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I was so glad I had a chance to read this book。 Great descriptions and characters。 I love reading books by Connilyn Cossette， as each is an experience。 It’s obvious she has done her research。 And I look forward to sharing about her book with my friends。 I received a copy of this book but all opinions are my own。
Hannah-rose Russell
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After waiting half a year for the final installment of The Covenant House duology， Connilyn Cossette once again showcases why she is one of the best Biblical Fiction authors with the release of Between the Wild Branches！ A true artist， Connilyn takes readers on a spiritual journey， bringing the Old Testament to life and highlighting a truth that impacts not only her main characters but everyone who reads her novels！ Each book is more than a form of entertainment; they’re a testimony of faith tha After waiting half a year for the final installment of The Covenant House duology， Connilyn Cossette once again showcases why she is one of the best Biblical Fiction authors with the release of Between the Wild Branches！ A true artist， Connilyn takes readers on a spiritual journey， bringing the Old Testament to life and highlighting a truth that impacts not only her main characters but everyone who reads her novels！ Each book is more than a form of entertainment; they’re a testimony of faith that shines the glory of our incredible Creator on every page！Between the Wild Branches begins ten years after the events of To Dwell Among Cedars。 Lukio， Eliora’s brother， is all grown up and， with the help of his crafty cousin， has become the revered fighting champion of Ashdod。 With bitterness and resentment still boiling within him， Lukio has spent the last decade building a prosperous life for himself， embracing his Philistine heritage in attempts to shed any influence the Hebrews had on him。 However， just as he’s about to receive everything he’s worked hard to achieve， someone from Lukio’s past re-enters his life， throwing all he thought he knew in disarray and setting him on a path he never thought he’d cross again。 What will Lukio choose when he is forced to decide between the home he fled from and the one he ran to？Captured by the Philistines， Shoshana is enslaved in Ashdod with any hope of seeing her children again only possible in her dreams。 Determined to survive， Shoshana does her best to stay in the shadows。 However， when her mistress becomes betrothed to the notorious fighter， Demon Eyes， Shoshana will have to navigate her way through the tangled web of secrets and past regrets when she comes face-to-face with the boy she once loved。 Is Lukio still the same dual-color-eyed boy she used to sneak into the woods in Kiryat-Yearim to see， or has the last decade destroyed any chance of reconciliation？From the opening scene， I knew Between the Wild Branches would be unlike anything Connilyn Cossette has written。 Taken on an emotional rollercoaster （the good kind）， I laughed， cried， gasped， and swooned my way through this book。 Lukio and Shoshana’s stories captured my heart， making me feel like I was experiencing everything they were。 Surprised at every turn， I had no idea how Connilyn would tie everything together; it all seemed impossible， but the ending did not disappoint！ （Cue the tears😭）Based primarily in Philistine territory， readers get an in-depth perspective of what it was like to live amongst the pagan， blood-thirsty people of Philistia。 Full of suspense， action， love， and forgiveness， Between the Wild Branches will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end！ None of us think we deserve unconditional love， but there comes a moment in our lives where we will learn where our true home lies。 Can we let go of the past to move into a brighter future， or will we harden our hearts and remain in the prison we didn’t realize we’ve created？ Between the Wild Branchess explores all of this and more in this epic tale that will stay in your mind for weeks to come！*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a pre-release copy of this book。 My thoughts and opinions are entirely my own！* CLICK HERE TO WATCH AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH THE AUTHOR 。。。more
Jaymie
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“I have learned to hold not only him， but everything in my life with an open hand， trusting that no matter what， Yahweh is good…” 。Connilyn Cossette continues to amaze me with her ability to masterfully weave fictional characters and their lives alongside biblical history。 I always learn so much about the culture of the time， and her writing makes me want to dive into my own Bible to learn more about that time period。。This second novel in her latest duology had me on the edge of my seat the enti “I have learned to hold not only him， but everything in my life with an open hand， trusting that no matter what， Yahweh is good…” 。Connilyn Cossette continues to amaze me with her ability to masterfully weave fictional characters and their lives alongside biblical history。 I always learn so much about the culture of the time， and her writing makes me want to dive into my own Bible to learn more about that time period。。This second novel in her latest duology had me on the edge of my seat the entire time。 The characters and their struggles were loveable， believable， and relatable。 I loved hearing more about Lukio’s story and how God worked in his life and the lives of his family and friends。 I highly recommend that you check this book out when it releases！ You won’t regret it！。I received a free copy of this book from the publisher。 All opinions expressed are my own。 。。。more
Lynn Sonia
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Between the Wild Branches is a sequel to To Dwell Among Cedars， a continuation of two Philistine orphans， Arisa and her brother， Lukio。 At the end of Cedars， Lukio has left his Hebrew “family” to return to an abusive Philistine relative。 We readers have been excited for this sequel to learn of what happened to Lukio， now in the land of his birth。In Branches Lukio has emerged as the Philistine champion called “Demon Eyes” （because each of his eyes is a different color）。 He is unbeatable。 Lukio ha Between the Wild Branches is a sequel to To Dwell Among Cedars， a continuation of two Philistine orphans， Arisa and her brother， Lukio。 At the end of Cedars， Lukio has left his Hebrew “family” to return to an abusive Philistine relative。 We readers have been excited for this sequel to learn of what happened to Lukio， now in the land of his birth。In Branches Lukio has emerged as the Philistine champion called “Demon Eyes” （because each of his eyes is a different color）。 He is unbeatable。 Lukio has partaken of all that pagan society has to offer him。 He’s now an extremely wealthy man who has found great favor with the King。 In fact， the King offers his most favored daughter to Lukio as a wife。 They become betrothed。 This is where the story begins its twisting and turning， keeping the reader on the edge of her seat。 Shoshana， Lukio’s childhood friend and the love of his heart， turns out to be his betrothed’s slave。 SHOCK！ As the story unfolds， Lukio’s eyes are opened to the atrocities being done to the captured Hebrews。 Shoshanna’s life has been one of pain and suffering， and Lukio’s heart is enraged at all that has been done to her。 He can no longer turn a blind eye。 As he becomes an advocate for the enslaved Hebrews （especially Shoshana）， he meets others within the palace who are helping free the slaves。 He enters a world of deceipt and extreme danger， where his life may be required of him if he is found out。 Throughout these last chapters， as Lukio’s heart opens up to pain of others， his eyes begin to open and he slams right into the One Who Sees， who sheds truth into his heart and mind and leads him to Truth。There is much heartache and joy as the pages turn。 I admit， I shed tears in several spots。 The ending， of course， leaves the reader satisfied and full of joy。Cossette is a writer who develops her characters at a deep level。 I felt I was a personal friend of Lukio and Shoshana by the end of this series。 Characters from Cedars are in Branches， which enriches the sequel。 Cossette does her research before embarking on a series。 She transports the reader back in time。 I felt the pain of the vicious dog fights， the abuse done to the Hebrew slaves， the brutal human fight scenes in the arena， and the nauseating hedonistic pagan festivals。 However， Cossette sprinkles bits of Yahweh truth throughout the book， ending the book with a huge gust of His truth that sets the protagonist free。 My heart was overjoyed with the ending。 If you are looking for a summer read that will draw you into another world from several thousand years ago， THIS IS THE BOOK！ You will not be disappointed！ I would， however， recommend you read To Dwell Among Cedars first as it will give you a deeper enjoyment of Between the Wild Branches。 Happy reading！From， a VERY satisfied reader of Connilyn Cossette books。 。。。more
Sandy Quandt
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Between the Wild Branches is another Biblical historical fiction novel which proves， once again， Connilyn Cossette is a master at weaving an interesting story that's hard to put down。Set in Ashdod， Philistia 1052 BC， Between the Wild Branches tells the story of Philistine champion fighter Lukio， and Hebrew slave to one of the king's daughters， Shoshana。 Although the two were close during their years growing up in Israel， they haven't seen each other for ten years。 When they rediscover each other Between the Wild Branches is another Biblical historical fiction novel which proves， once again， Connilyn Cossette is a master at weaving an interesting story that's hard to put down。Set in Ashdod， Philistia 1052 BC， Between the Wild Branches tells the story of Philistine champion fighter Lukio， and Hebrew slave to one of the king's daughters， Shoshana。 Although the two were close during their years growing up in Israel， they haven't seen each other for ten years。 When they rediscover each other， complicated matters only become more complicated。This book is filled with a cast of intriguing characters。 Some honorable。 Some despicable。 There is sacrifice and greed。 Hatred and love。Connilyn uses her well-researched vast knowledge of Biblical times to present an authentic world， and bring two different cultures to life。 With unexpected twists and turns， Between the Wild Branches keeps the reader turning pages to the very end。If you enjoy Biblical historical fiction at its best， then Between the Wild Branches may just be the book for you。I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House for a fair and honest review， which is exactly what I gave。 。。。more
Sherril Stinnett
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Connilyn Cossette’s Between the Wild Branches is a continuation of her 2-part Covenant House series based on the time period in the Bible when judges still ruled Israel。 In her first book， To Dwell Among Cedars （TDAC）， Connilyn introduced us to two young Philistine siblings， Arisa and Lukio， who suddenly find themselves alone on the streets of Ashdod， orphaned after the death of their Jewish nanny， who， before her demise instructed the siblings to follow the Israelite Ark of the Covenant。 TDAC t Connilyn Cossette’s Between the Wild Branches is a continuation of her 2-part Covenant House series based on the time period in the Bible when judges still ruled Israel。 In her first book， To Dwell Among Cedars （TDAC）， Connilyn introduced us to two young Philistine siblings， Arisa and Lukio， who suddenly find themselves alone on the streets of Ashdod， orphaned after the death of their Jewish nanny， who， before her demise instructed the siblings to follow the Israelite Ark of the Covenant。 TDAC tells Arisa’s story as she and her brother attempt to begin new lives as Philistine orphans living among the tribes of Israel after following a cow-driven cart pulling the Ark out of Ashdod back into Hebrew territory where it belonged。 Between the Wild Branches （BTWB） picks up with Lukio’s story。 Adjusting to life among the Hebrews proves more of a struggle for Lukio than it did for his sister。 Lukio is bitter about being torn from the Philistine streets where he grew up， and isn’t sure he trusts the Israelite’s Yahweh， or anyone at this point besides his sister and his best friend， Shoshana， who delivers a devastating message， forcing Lukio to make the decision to return to his land of birth。 Connilyn weaves Lukio’s story as an inspiring prodigal son story brought to life in the Philistine city of Ashdod。 Adventure， romance， as well as the awakening of a heart formed to protect others are played out on the pages of this epic novel。 Connilyn’s gift is her ability to paint the most articulate， beautiful word pictures， providing scenery in our minds as we take in her words， some so specific and intense the images shake our soul。 Readers walk away reassured of God’s goodness and His ability to provide exactly what we need when we need it， and His ability to work all things for good for them who love Him （Romans 8:28）。I received a complimentary copy and was not required to provide a positive review。 All opinions expressed are mine alone。 。。。more
Kim
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In this second book of the Covenant House series， the Philistine-Israelite wars continue while a couple of Levite families are intertwined with a couple of Philistine orphaned siblings。 Connilyn Cossette has obviously immersed herself in historical research to create an intriguing fictional account of events from part of the book of Judges。 I believe that anyone who reads these books will have a deeper understanding of this time and the violent conflicts between these people groups。 It's one thi In this second book of the Covenant House series， the Philistine-Israelite wars continue while a couple of Levite families are intertwined with a couple of Philistine orphaned siblings。 Connilyn Cossette has obviously immersed herself in historical research to create an intriguing fictional account of events from part of the book of Judges。 I believe that anyone who reads these books will have a deeper understanding of this time and the violent conflicts between these people groups。 It's one thing to read a few verses about the Philistines' cruelty and hatred of Israel， and another to realize the depth。 I received a complimentary copy of the book without obligation。 This review is my opinion。 。。。more
Erica Kerr
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I love being on BethanyHouse Influencer team。 It has opened my eyes to other genres I don’t normally read。 You don’t HAVE to read the monthly book but I choose to because so far when I’ve stepped out of my comfort zone it’s been worth it！Between the Wild Branches by Connilym Cossette is a biblical fiction and a strong reminder that the Bible isn’t full of fluffy clouds！ War， hardship， and unpleasant things fill its pages。 Glimpsing into this time period was hard yet eye opening。 I really need to I love being on BethanyHouse Influencer team。 It has opened my eyes to other genres I don’t normally read。 You don’t HAVE to read the monthly book but I choose to because so far when I’ve stepped out of my comfort zone it’s been worth it！Between the Wild Branches by Connilym Cossette is a biblical fiction and a strong reminder that the Bible isn’t full of fluffy clouds！ War， hardship， and unpleasant things fill its pages。 Glimpsing into this time period was hard yet eye opening。 I really need to read more biblical fiction because it really helps me feel more of what was going on at the time。 I know this is FICTION but definitely helps things a bit more in perspective。The violence was strong for me， but had to remind myself that is what was extremely common and what was going on then and there。 Still made me squirm at times。 It took me a bit to get into the story because of that but once I was a few chapters in， I became strongly invested in the characters and wanting to know what happens next！The characters have flaws and it makes them more real。 No where in the book could I guess what was going to happen next！ I loved the side message that family is not just flesh and blood and flesh and blood doesn’t define you！ If you have a loving and supportive family it is a pleasure to pass down that legacy， but if your family is hateful and full of wrong towards others… you can change that legacy for better。That ending！ I have never cried that many different times at the end。 Beautiful and heart wrenching。This is book two of the series and comes out July 6th！ I haven’t read the first book， and this didn’t feel like anything is missing anything except now I want to go read number one！Thank you @bethanyhousefiction for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review 。。。more
Paula
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I don't normally read Biblical fiction， but this was an outstanding story that drew me in from the very beginning， even though the whole story begins in the midst of a fight。 Lukio is considered the undefeated champion of Ashdod， where he lives。 Since everyone in his community is a fan of his， the king of Ashdod asks him to become master of ceremonies for the upcoming festival， and he gives him his youngest daughter for a wife。 He never does marry the girl， though， because her maid is none other I don't normally read Biblical fiction， but this was an outstanding story that drew me in from the very beginning， even though the whole story begins in the midst of a fight。 Lukio is considered the undefeated champion of Ashdod， where he lives。 Since everyone in his community is a fan of his， the king of Ashdod asks him to become master of ceremonies for the upcoming festival， and he gives him his youngest daughter for a wife。 He never does marry the girl， though， because her maid is none other than Shoshana， the girl from his childhood he loved dearly。 As time moves on， there is a daring escape， or two， and they are taken back to the area they grew up in。 Very exciting story， I didn't want to put down！ Excellent book！ 。。。more
Betti
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Did that mean the God of the universe might actually care about him？Once again the author has taken us back to Ashdod in 1052 BC。 So sure no one loved or cared about him， Lukio left his sister and the Hebrew settlement behind and has become Demon Eyes - the best fighter in all of the Philistine nation。 Unexpectedly finding his lost love in Ashdod， he begins to question his rash decision。Runaways， kidnapping， murder and more - will the Golden Box continue to plague the Philistines or will they be Did that mean the God of the universe might actually care about him？Once again the author has taken us back to Ashdod in 1052 BC。 So sure no one loved or cared about him， Lukio left his sister and the Hebrew settlement behind and has become Demon Eyes - the best fighter in all of the Philistine nation。 Unexpectedly finding his lost love in Ashdod， he begins to question his rash decision。Runaways， kidnapping， murder and more - will the Golden Box continue to plague the Philistines or will they be able to find and destroy it？ Perhaps Yahweh has Lukio in Ashdod for a purpose。 Will he be willing to do what he can， even if it means death？ He was chosen to be a son - will he accept？This story will keep you enthralled right up till the end， never allowing you to set it aside until the conclusion。 Are we， as recipients of unmerited grace， ready to be used to further the kingdom？An ARC was received through Baker House Publishing Group， Bethany House Publishers and NetGalley。 These impressions and comments are my own and were in no way solicited。 。。。more
Vanessa
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You won't be disappointed with this book and will also be unlikely to put it down until it's finished。 Connilyn continues to gift us with incredible stories that allow us these fascinating glimpses into Biblical history。 I am forever a fan of the beautiful characters， settings and stories that she comes up with that draw us in between the lines of the Bible。 I remember being frustrated with Lukio in the first book of this duology， To Dwell Among Cedars。 I thought he was selfish， harsh， and stubb You won't be disappointed with this book and will also be unlikely to put it down until it's finished。 Connilyn continues to gift us with incredible stories that allow us these fascinating glimpses into Biblical history。 I am forever a fan of the beautiful characters， settings and stories that she comes up with that draw us in between the lines of the Bible。 I remember being frustrated with Lukio in the first book of this duology， To Dwell Among Cedars。 I thought he was selfish， harsh， and stubborn。 Honestly， I wasn't sure I'd really even be into this story as it is about him， but true to her signature writing， Connilyn drew me in right away and had my full attention to the very end。 I absolutely loved the story of Lukio and Shoshana！！ I felt the growth and shift in Lukio pretty immediately into the story， but I loved seeing more of his character show through as we hear more about him and how he has lived the last ten years since we've seen him last。 The character development was extraordinary， believable and captivating。 Shoshana exudes this quiet strength and grace that you can't help but admire and be drawn to throughout the book。 "Lukio was no longer the boy he’d been， but neither was I the same girl， so it did no good to wish away the chasm between us。 It was just as immovable as the mountain I’d grown up on and as deep as the valley I’d walked since he’d left Kiryat-Yearim。" 。。。more
MJSH
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"You are a wild branch， young man。 Do not despise the root to which you've been joined， for it is from this mountain， in the shadow of cedars that your own deep roots will take their nourishment。 And the branches who spring from you will spread wide to shade the helpless and reach heights you cannot imagine。 So， do not fear the iron fetters that carry you to the sea， young man， only the ones you bind upon yourself。"This is Biblical fiction at its finest。 Connilyn Cossette knocks it out of the pa "You are a wild branch， young man。 Do not despise the root to which you've been joined， for it is from this mountain， in the shadow of cedars that your own deep roots will take their nourishment。 And the branches who spring from you will spread wide to shade the helpless and reach heights you cannot imagine。 So， do not fear the iron fetters that carry you to the sea， young man， only the ones you bind upon yourself。"This is Biblical fiction at its finest。 Connilyn Cossette knocks it out of the park yet again。 The author truly has a gift of making the Bible come alive in full color and in 4-D where you can see， taste， touch， smell， and hear what it may have been like during the time periods she writes about。 In this second book of the Covenant House series， we are transported to the city of Philistine's Ashdod during 1052BC while Samuel is rising in power as the judge in Israel。 I can't imagine the amount of research it must have taken for the author to create such an incredible backdrop so that the average modern reader like myself can understand the culture that prevailed back then。 Threaded within this setting is the utterly heart-breaking and heart-wrenching tale of a boy and a girl， separated and torn apart by bigotry， anger， hatred， war， misguided loyalty， insecurity， and so much regret。 Though this book can be read as a stand-alone， I'd highly recommend reading the series in order so that you can fully appreciate Lukio's maturation into a man of honor and compassion。Shoshana and Lukio are one of my favorite fictional couples whom I've had the pleasure to meet this year。 Shoshana is strong， resourceful， and faithful even though she's been through so much pain and suffering in her short life。 Lukio is steadfast， reliable， compassionate， and merciful even though he makes a living as a fighter。 Tragedies of war and human sin are on full display throughout the story but the hope， grace， and forgiveness found in the One True God surpass all the ugliness。 Beautiful pictures of spiritual and physical adoption are woven into the characters' lives。 The themes of belonging， unconditional love， and true acceptance are so exquisitely drawn into the plot。 It also has intrigue in the subplot which adds suspense and excitement。 There are unexpected and tender friendships as well as betrayal。 The secondary characters are so lovely and lovable that I wish the author would write more sequels to tell their stories。 This book gave me goosebumps from how real everything felt， the raw emotions， and the surprising twists and turns。 Be prepared to shed lots of tears - Lukio and Shoshana will bring you from the edge of despair to the mountaintop of purpose and unfailing love。One of my top 2021 reads！ I received the book from Bethany House Publishers and was under no obligation to post a positive comment。 All opinions are solely my own。 。。。more
Ebos Aifuobhokhan
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This is one of the very few books I couldn't predict it's direction。 The twists and turns are to die for。 My God！ I was amazed beyond reason。 If there was any book that screamed divine providence， appointment and God's sovereignty， it was this book。 It reminded me so much of the verse in Scripture that says， God is watching over His word to bring it to pass。 I felt like crying after the book ended。 The story was so sweet and made me feel so good and warm inside that I did not want it to end。 I k This is one of the very few books I couldn't predict it's direction。 The twists and turns are to die for。 My God！ I was amazed beyond reason。 If there was any book that screamed divine providence， appointment and God's sovereignty， it was this book。 It reminded me so much of the verse in Scripture that says， God is watching over His word to bring it to pass。 I felt like crying after the book ended。 The story was so sweet and made me feel so good and warm inside that I did not want it to end。 I knew Lukio's story was going to be mind-blowing but I did not imagine it was going to be so exhilarating， exciting， and touching。 I had tears in my eyes through parts of the story。 His story shows how God changes a person's heart inside out， how he adopts one into his family and forgets ones past。 I saw restoration， love， redemption， the firece and undying love of God and the devotion and loyalty of family illustrated in this book。 I loved how Lukio adored Shoshana。 Distances and circumstances did not douse their love for each other。 I loved the name her called her "Tesi" Her heart， devotion and loyalty floored me。 How one could be so kind and loyal， with no regard for their comfort amazed me。 She deserved every happiness she got。 It was refreshing to see the other characters in To Dweel Among Cedars featured in this book。 I sure missed those beautiful woods。 Connilyn Cossette excels at what she does。I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and this is my honest opinion。 。。。more
Monique
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I was really excited to read the sequel to To Dwell Among Cedars， as I loved Lukio！ He is a troubled soul throughout the first book， but he tries so hard to keep from hurting， I can’t help but love him。 And now we have am entire sequel about him！ And Soshana， who made a brief appearance in the first novel too。 I really think you should read book 1 in order to enjoy this fully though it can be read as a standalone （but why would you， when you can place these beautiful covers together and have a c I was really excited to read the sequel to To Dwell Among Cedars， as I loved Lukio！ He is a troubled soul throughout the first book， but he tries so hard to keep from hurting， I can’t help but love him。 And now we have am entire sequel about him！ And Soshana， who made a brief appearance in the first novel too。 I really think you should read book 1 in order to enjoy this fully though it can be read as a standalone （but why would you， when you can place these beautiful covers together and have a complete picture？）。 We’re ten years later， and Lukio has left his adoptive family and is back in Philistia where he has built a name and fortune for himself as a fighter。 But he has bigger plans， he wants to be rid of the toxic influence of his cousin， and approaches the king with his ideas for a festival of sports。 The king hires him om spot and adds a bonus: one of his daughters。 Meanwhile Soshana finds herself in a very different situation， she has lost her husband and finds herself enslaved by the enemy， Lukio’s people。 And of course， she meets Lukio again and I can tell you the situation could NOT have been more awkward， exactly when he meets his new fiancee。 Old feeling arise， but also old hurts and their new situation complicate everything， so Lukio’s comfortable life is turned upside down and he has te reevaluate everything he thought he knew。 And Soshana has some secrets of her own… I absolutely lived for their relationship。 It kept me on edge， because there were so many unresolved things！ And the plot was very intense， a lot is happening， but it doesn’t take away from the character development。 I just had to keep reading！ It got bad as I accidentally read for an entire night。 I can’t say much without spoilers， but Soshana is amazing and brave and loyal and I love her。 And the setting！ I never read a book about Philistia before， but it was so interesting！ I think a lot of research went into it， and it shows as the setting feels very authentic and yet a bit foreign which is perfect， it felt so real！ I have to mention， this culture is not for the faint of heart。 I think the author balanced it out very well， showing the very realistic struggles， yet not too graphic and through the darkness it always ends with hope。 The spiritual message of the prodigal son is very subtly woven through， and I think this book can be very uplifting to many people。 I also loved how the author stayed clear of clichés， the fiancee of Lukio was extremely sweet and fierce at the same time， and I loved her （can we get another book with her as main character？）。 The other side characters were all very interesting and complex。 And the end had me in tears。 Happy tears。 All in all it’s safe to say I loved everything lol！ I received a free e-arc through Netgalley， thanks to Bethany House， but it hasn’t influenced my opinions。 。。。more
Ashton Dorow
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Wow。 Where do I even begin？？ After enjoying the first book in the duology， but not LOVING it at the same level I had Connilyn’s previous books， I had really high hopes for book two。 And let me tell you， Connilyn managed to surpass all of them！ Between the Wild Branches just might rank in my top three fave books of hers so far， and it will certainly be a fave read of 2021！My heart really went out to Lukio in book one， and I loved the threads of his and Shosanna’s relationship that were interwoven Wow。 Where do I even begin？？ After enjoying the first book in the duology， but not LOVING it at the same level I had Connilyn’s previous books， I had really high hopes for book two。 And let me tell you， Connilyn managed to surpass all of them！ Between the Wild Branches just might rank in my top three fave books of hers so far， and it will certainly be a fave read of 2021！My heart really went out to Lukio in book one， and I loved the threads of his and Shosanna’s relationship that were interwoven there。 The ending of book one totally broke my heart and I’ve been dying to know what happened to Lukio after the final chapter。 At first， I was upset by the fact that this book picks up TEN YEARS after those heartbreaking events， but once I started reading this book， I realized how perfect of a story choice this was。 By the time we see Lukio and Shosanna again， they are very different people， no longer children， but adults who have been through many trials， horrors， and life-changes。 This made them even better characters and my heart went out to them even more。 Ugh！ 😩 I wanted to just wrap them in a big， comforting hug！ Especially Lukio！！！ ❤️He’s just the BEST sort of fictional hero！！ Strong and tough and a bit rough around the edges， but a total teddy bear on the inside， full of compassion and fierce passion for those he loves and those in need。 As you can probably tell， this book gave me ALL the feels！！！ Conni certainly kept me on the edge of my seat from the first chapter until the very last。 Never was there a moment when I felt even slightly bored or like the story had fallen into a lull。 Conni truly put her poor characters in quite the pickle of a situation and I had no idea how she was going to get them out of it。 Everytime I thought I knew how things could be resolved， she pulled the story in a different direction and kept me guessing。 She even nearly gave me a panic attack a couple times！ Internally， I was breathing frantically into a paper bag！ LOL 😂🙈The beauty and depth of the message of the story， which fit so perfectly and naturally with the characters’ stories， touched my heart。 This is one of those books that you never want to end， but by the time you reach that inevitable conclusion， you feel so full inside。 There’s so much else I could probably say about this book， but I’ll end with a few random comments that don’t seem to fit anywhere else:1。） The scene with the forest mural！！！！！ 😭😭😭❤️❤️❤️ Quite possibly my favorite moment in the book！2。） “We’re bringing him home。” 😭❤️ Another favorite moment that hit me right in the feels， and like the one mentioned above， you’ll just have the book to understand what I mean。3。） Igo！！！ I loved Lukio’s dog， especially since he reminded me of my own “gentle giant” Rambo， who is scared of his own shadow but is fiercely protective and loyal。And lastly…4。） I think Lukio and Shoshanna are my new favorite couple out of Conni’s books！ Their love story is just SO SWEET and it feels so real and raw。 You can’t help but root for them every step of the way。 As you’ve probably surmised， this is a solid 5/5 Stars for me–I would give it more than 5 if there were such a thing。 If you’re a fan of Biblical fiction， or considering giving it a try， do yourself a favor and read this book–but make sure to read book one first， because it would totally ruin everything if you don’t！**I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review。 All thoughts and opinions are my own。** 。。。more
Susan
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Between the Wild Branches is a stunning finale for the Covenant House duology。 While each can be read as a standalone， I highly recommend reading To Dwell Among Cedars first。 I was so happy to read Lukio's story， which celebrates the power of repentance and unmerited grace。 Connilyn Cossette has painted a brilliant tapestry of words， bringing to life ancient history。 While this is a work of fiction， it in no way conflicts with biblical truths。 Cossette's research into Philistia's history and cul Between the Wild Branches is a stunning finale for the Covenant House duology。 While each can be read as a standalone， I highly recommend reading To Dwell Among Cedars first。 I was so happy to read Lukio's story， which celebrates the power of repentance and unmerited grace。 Connilyn Cossette has painted a brilliant tapestry of words， bringing to life ancient history。 While this is a work of fiction， it in no way conflicts with biblical truths。 Cossette's research into Philistia's history and culture come to life under her pen。 This poignant story of grace checked off many boxes for me: adventure， fast-paced plot， strong characters， family and faith。 The compassionate humanity Cossette portrayed within her characters' motivations and beliefs held me captive from the very first paragraph。 I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author/publisher and was not required to write a review。 All opinions expressed are my own。 。。。more
Rj
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