The Lights of Tenth Street

I was given a copy of this book by a friend, and once I started it I couldn't put it down. The story follows a young woman who has the drive to get out of the small town, and abusive family life she is in. It tracks the marriage of a yuppie family, where the husband's behavior puts him in a situation where he can lose it all - his marriage, his job and his freedom. These paths will intersect in the most miraculous way. The author does a great job of weaving what seem like independent plot lines together. There are several story lines, but the main two include one which follows a crime syndicate and a terrorist plot, and the other follows the lives, failures and redemption of the two lead characters. The story is not only suspenseful but hits home. The depiction of how the husband continues to find himself in situations he can't seem to resist depicts the cycle of addiction with chilling clarity. The way that the little choices we make can lead to a place in life we couldn't have imagined we would find ourselves. In this regard often novels are more adept at communicating a message that resonates by creating situations that people can relate to and thus become more open to the message itself. This book is great in that regard. Overall, I very much enjoyed the story, despite the fact that the ending is miraculous and at times a bit too convenient. The reader will discover a powerful message and a book that hooks you into the action and is hard to put down. Everything you expect from a good novel.

While the underlying purpose of most Christian fiction is to get a positive message to people, few actually allow the reader to walk away having truly been taught something. "The Lights on Tenth Street" is the exception. This book is not only a story, but a teaching/warning to most everyone who has a problem with their thought life. While the focus of this book is primarily the battle in the mind against lust, the message can be applied to any bad thoughts or addictions of any kind (yes, lust and pornography can be addictions). If you allow something to begin in your mind, it will only grow worse and cause problems.This book shows the life of two main characters. Doug is a father and husband who finds himself battling with his thought life and losing. Ronnie is a girl whose dreams of college seem impossible...until the opportunity to use her body for money opens the door. Both have people praying for them, and both are pawns in a much bigger scheme.Shaunti's writing is stark and real, and she pulls no punches with the reality of pain surrounding the battles of the flesh. The most amazing thing is the fact that she can cover such a subject in a novel so thoroughly and yet never stray into making the book explicit in any way. All of the scenes are implied, while the consequences are plain. I haven't seen such truthful writing in a long time. I highly recommend this novel!

This was an amazing read! I picked this book up knowing nothing about this author and after reading it, can't wait to read anything else she writes. The Lights of Tenth Street challenged me to see things through the eyes of others, to see past just the physical happenings of life and to see what God may be doing in the spiritual realm as well. I love the way Shanti researches her subjects and pours her heart into this book. It is exciting and keeps your attention throughout as it seeks to awaken the heart of the reader. If you read this book your life will be touched... I know mine was!

In Lights of Tenth Street, Ms. Feldhahn has taken the tough road- dealing with sexual addictions with a Christian response. This is not for the faint at heart, but has incredible suspense (kept me up at night more than many 'popular' authors), and is amazingly straightforward and sensitive. While Feldhahn's first novel, Veritas, was also quite enjoyable, Lights of Tenth Street has a tight storyline that rivals any novel I've ever read. She has matured into a world-class author. Not only a pleasure to escape into the plot, but a message that could change forever the way you view others.

It's called the "sequel" to Shaunti Feldhahn's previous novel The Veritas Project. But in many ways, it's not. The sequel isn't exactly a sequel in that it doesn't demand that you read the first book first - it can operate on its own. And operate it does!Due to the sweet setup I have going with my brother (he buys the books, and I read `em after he's done), I got to read this book almost immediately after it was released. The plot focuses on two primary characters, more or less. Sherry, the Harvard roommate of Claire Rivers (whom the plot revolved around in the first book) is now our protagonist. Sherry is now ten year older, married to Doug Turner, and has two kids of her own. The other main character is Ronnie Hanover, an abused teenager who makes a break for freedom from her home and joins her friend Tiffany in Atlanta, working at a strip club. At first, Ronnie despises the idea of the stripping, and only works as a waitress. But goading from her coworkers coupled with her financial needs soon finds her up on stage with the rest.Meantime, there is a national organization of crime working the scene, weaving an incredibly complex web of conspiracy and intrigue; a scheme beyond the understanding of most involved, and beyond the reader's, until the very end. The mysterious Proxy is working with his second in command Tyson with their "clients" to perpetrate a terrorist act beyond the scope of the 9/11 tragedy.Back at the Turners, there's a problem. Doug Turner finds himself sliding back into the same dangerous temptations that he fell into as a young man. He attempts to suppress and hide them, but he soon finds himself looking after female coworkers a little longer than he should, and reading bad magazines, then stopping by the strip club where his business partners held a meeting once - "just for the food". Doug is forced to deal with the problem when a worker at his company shows up with video of Doug at the strip club...and assures him that, unless he signs off on certain business deals, the video will make its way to his family and friends. Doug finds no alternative, and complies.Of course, in the meantime, there are the angels that are somewhat involved in the story. To be honest, I think the angels are an unnecessary part of the book. In the style of Frank Peretti, the angels are in the story throughout, but do not really stick out in terms of what they do. They are the ministering spirits to the characters, but the plot focuses on the characters alone. When I began reading this, and I found a part about the angels, I was like "Oh yeah, I forgot there are angels in these books."There's a lot more to the plot, but it's too complex to go further. I could say things like "Will Doug confront his dangerous temptations? Will the crime organization win the day? Read this book to find out!" but I won't.I have to say though, that the quality of this book highly impressed me. Once the action got rolling, I could barely put the book down. I was actually