Hadassah

Title: Hadassah
Author: Tommy Tenney
Publisher: Bethany House
Genre: History, Fiction, Romance, Adventure, Adult
Rating: * * * * * (out of five)
Summary: In this beautifully innovative and descriptive novel, you will follow the life of Hadassah, the girl who became Queen Esther, from the age of a very young girl all the way to her life after Xerxes’ death. Although most of it is fiction, it does not stray very far from real-life.

For once, I have enjoyed a romance novel. Usually, romance does not do anything for me, but Hadassah deals more with real, human emotions, rather than a mushy romantic situation. Granted, it is talked about on a physical level as well as emotional. But if you are mature enough to handle it (I’d say a mature 12 or 13 year old or a normal 14 year old could read it), I highly recommend reading it. It shows a natural, healthy romance with a correct frame of mind. Another thing I highly recommend is having your mom read it or at least telling her about it. My mom discussed the topics with me, even though we had already discussed them before.

There are lots of eunuchs, and when I say a lot, I mean a lot. If that sort of thing bothers you, do not read this book. It is not intensely graphic, but one of the main characters is tragically forced into being a eunuch. Once again, mature people can easily handle it.

The one plot I want to touch on is the adventure. I absolutely adored it. It wasn’t too heavy or boring but it was exciting and touching.

Definitely a five-star book for me. Any girl at least 14 and up should read it at some point.

Ten Lies Christian Girls Buy Into

Ten Lies Christian Girls Buy Into

1. You have to buy immodest clothing and vulgar music because it is “in” and there are no other choices.

2. It does not matter who your friends are or how they live their lives. Sin is relative, and what is wrong for you may not be wrong for them.

3. You should never let anyone know who you really are— your deepest fears and your biggest dreams— because they might turn around and hurt you someday.

4. It’s okay to use profanity or Christian forms of profanity. They are just words. It is not a big deal.

5. Boundaries and guidelines are for goody-goodies. Freedom is what life is really about.

6. You can give your heart away to everyone you meet and remain completely unaffected by it, even when your heart is broken.

7. Lying and gossip are not really sin— they are just artistic forms of conversation.

8. You can do everything except have sex and still be pure.

9. You can hate your parents without dishonoring God.

10. Life is all about having fun.

Taken from "Being a Girl Who Leads" by Shannon Kubiak Primicerio.

Distressing Damsels or Damsels in Distress

Distressing Damsels or Damsels in Distress

When I first heard this line in Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End, I laughed. It was humorous as I had watched the first two films as well and I knew for a fact that Elizabeth, the heroine, was constantly in distress and causing others to be in distress. However, as I’ve thought about it more, I’ve realized how much we can be this way. We can be either the “damsel in distress” who relies upon her man— whether it be Dad or husband— to rescue her from her plight or we can be the damsel who distresses everybody around her; the one who wants her way and does it her way, causing others to work around her. In addition, damsels in distress can be just as distressing if they’re silly and getting into trouble unnecessarily, but these of course are technically the distressing damsels. What are you?

The best Scripture verse that backs up my thoughts on this is Titus 2:4-5. “That they [older women] may teach the young women to be sober [not distressing], to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the Word of God be not blasphemed.”

There is also Proverbs 9:13, “A foolish woman is clamorous: she is simple and knoweth nothing.” Talk about a serious “ouch!” moment.

So, my point is that there are two different types of women: distressing damsels (those who are causing others distress [an antonym of peace]) and damsels in distress (those who allow men to practice their masculine duties as protector). What will you be?