Rated of 5
by Dorothy T. (Victorville, CA) A lot to think about
What at first appears to be the main plot line of "The Tenth Song" is in fact the catalyst for what I see as the author’s true focus: to encourage each reader to ask questions and to seek answers about his or her own life and how God is involved, if in fact He is. The locales set the stage perfectly, and the story line and the characters kept me turning the pages.
This would be a great choice for a book club whose members are interested in discussions that go deep and perhaps allow for more personal introspection and revelation.
Rated of 5
by Cecilia Z. (Montclair, New Jersey) Ends a little too neatly
Good book, interesting plot, well-written, but with an ending that is a little too pat. The book is about the impact that a very public scandal has on the members of a successful family. This is a great premise. It sets the stage for the characters to reflect on what brought them to this point in their lives and re-examine what is most important to them. The questions about religion and faith are especially compelling.
In the end, however, things are wrapped up a little too neatly, making the strong parts of the book - the characters' self-reflection - unconvincing. But it is a good read, well-written, with an interesting plot. It was also thought-provoking, especially the parts that deal with the community's response to the scandal.
Rated of 5
by Shelley C. (Eastport, NY) The Tenth Song
Observant Jews use the word, "ba'shert", to refer to both wonderful and awful events that come into their lives. It means fate, kismet, how the Supreme Being wanted things to turn out.
The wonderfully ordered world of the Samuels family turns upside down when Adam, an honest and very successful accountant, husband, father and grandfather is suddenly arrested by the FBI. He is accused of funneling millions of dollars to a terrorist organization that will use the money to kill American soldiers. Now he must prove his innocence while all his friends and colleagues treat him like a pariah.
How fate has intervened to change the lives of his youngest daughter, his wife, and himself is the subject of this extremely well written novel by Naomi Regan. Set in Boston and Israel this is a timely story that will leave you turning page after page; unable to put this book down. I highly recommend it.
Rated of 5
by Kathryn K. (Oceanside, CA) A Light read? Maybe not!
"The Tenth Song" by Naomi Ragen Is a story about how a Jewish family deals with a crisis of significant magnitude. On the surface, the book was okay. The plot was interesting and believable - and there was enough pathos to hold my interest. I had to find out how it all came out, but it seemed to be, what I call, a "light" read. What surprised me was where the book took me! The depth that developed as the story progressed caught me off guard and I found Ragen's perspective of even more interest. She conveyed great deal of wisdom and insight into interpersonal dynamics and the strength of spirituality in one's life.
It turned out to be a thought provoking and insightful read. There is within this story a message of hope, revealing the resilience of the human spirit when facing adversity. It is the first of Ragen's books I have read – it won’t be the last!
Rated of 5
by Debra F. (Alton Bay, NH) Just okay for me...
This story is about a Jewish family in the "middle" of a financial scam to fund terrorism. The scandal brings out the "true" colors of the the family members; Shoshana, Josh, and Kayla and their significant others. Abigail, the wife, notices her friends vanishing, her rabbi turning his back and her daughter Kayla runs off to the Israeli desert leaving behind her family and her fiance. Self-discovery, a little romance, and a pleasant surprise at the end kept me reading, but somehow the whole thing didn't quite work for me.
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of 5
by Dorothy T. (Victorville, CA) 
of 5
by Cecilia Z. (Montclair, New Jersey) 
of 5
by Debra F. (Alton Bay, NH) 
