ASTONISHED

The author of RIDING IN CARS WITH BOYS candidly shares her spiritual journey--triggered by the terrifying experience of being raped in her own home. The subject of rape is presented in such a way that the author's personal experience becomes enlightening and valuable. Narrator Janet Donofrio introduces her sister's powerful message in tones of anger, fear, and the hunger to comprehend why terrible events occur. But this is actually a hopeful story. As the author comes to terms with what happened, the narrator's tone changes to one of forgiveness and compassion. Ultimately, the author says, the rape strengthened her faith and led to her belief that there's a significant reason behind each difficult occurrence in our lives. D.Z. © AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2013]