I finished the last two books for the Tyndale Summer Reading program that were on my list.
I was what you might call . . . excited.
Perhaps I am competitive. I love the thrill of acquiring something for free. Combine competition and prizes. A win win situation in my book.
I figured with my bonus reading points, I would transfer them to my kids cards and we could get something from the cart of enticing plastic products that end up in the Goodwill pile trash two weeks later.
I discovered that our local library only counted books that you read to your children.
Shouldn’t the parents get rewarded for independent reading?
Embarrassing. My giddy smile crashed to the floor along with my books and my slowly cascading bright yellow Summer Reading Program point card.
My accomplishment wasn’t in vain, though. Tyndale promises to reward my literacy.
“Thank you,” says the little mom whose bubble was moderately burst, causing my sons to in turn get their feathers ruffled and threaten to beat up the rule-following librarian.
Good boys.
Without further ado, The Twelfth Imam by Joel Rosenberg.
I am a big fan of Mr. Rosenberg, having first learned about him through my IRL friend Nicole, who has been known to stay up until a crazy hour reading his almost prophetic literature, that eerily resounds with modern-day-times.
I wasn’t as compelled to prop my eyelids open until 2 AM, but the book was good, albeit slightly cheesy in the romance department. Mr. Rosenberg should probably stick to action and turning scripture to real life events.
Be prepared to pee your pants within the first few pages as you are drawn into the volatile action that did occur at the American Embassy in Tehran, Iran in 1979. As you find yourself immersed in this growing plot, you will find yourself escorted through many years . . . into a new generation of action. Events in your childhood can and do affect the future.
Get it. Read it. Enjoy it.
(But know, it wasn’t my favorite of his jihad books.)
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I told you that I wasn’t sure if I would finish this series . . . and many of you balked. You emailed me. You told me that it was worth the agony I was feeling, though you didn’t understand my mixed emotions.
It is just a book.
Well, I trusted you ladies.
And I didn’t agree with you . . . until the very end.
My discomfort with these books from Francine Rivers was worth it. Turning the painful pages of such a hurtful story . . . that is really a gong of what is sadly true in many families.
Poignant examples of misunderstanding. Lack of communication. Issues never resolved.
But the truth that Jesus does cover a multitude of sins. Hope.
And so, I would recommend Her Daughter’s Dream . . . so long as you become invested and read both books of Marta’s Legacy.
Still, I would cut out the sultry scenes. The pictures of violation. Young eyes do read this books . . . and I just don’t know that even adult eyes really need to have sexual images painted with words in their head. My head.
So, I’ll recommend with this caveat: read with caution.
(I do review for the Tyndale Blog Network, but the above books I actually checked out from our library. I was inspired to do such a thing for the Tyndale Summer Reading Program. Anything for a free book. And a chance for an e-reader.)
