Rescuing Hope by Susan Norris

This is not an easy novel to read. Who wants to read about the sexual exploitation of children? But it is the fastest growing crime in the world today. The average age of a girl entering the sex trade today is between twelve and fourteen years old. Then, the average life expectancy of that girl is only seven more years.

It is estimated that two to three hundred thousand children are at risk of being trafficked every year – in the U. S. Yes, three hundred thousand in the U. S. Every two minutes, somewhere in the world, evil strips innocence from a child and sells her into slavery for sex.

In this novel we follow Hope Ellis. Her parents are divorced and she and her mom have to move away from her best friend. Hope, only fourteen, is befriended by an older man on the public transportation. Slowly but surely, he draws her in until he has convinced her to spend an afternoon with him.

Then he's got her, locked away. He threatens her by claiming he'll kill her mother of she ever disobeys him. Is she lost forever or will she be one of the few rescued?

Although a novel, Susan writes that the events in the book are based on interviews with survivors of human sex trafficking, their families, detectives and people in rescue organizations.

Susan has written this book as a catalyst for conversation between mothers and daughters, among youth groups, book clubs and friends. She has added questions as discussion starters at the end of her book. Also at the end of the book is a list of ministries for your involvement.

This is not an easy novel to read, but it is certainly eye-opening.

Susan Norris is an international speaker helping teens and women find freedom in the areas of purity and sexual identity. A former teacher with a master's of education from UNC-Greensboro, Susan now networks for organizations like Resolution Hope and Not For Sale and raises her voice for victims of sex trafficking across the nation. You can find out more about Susan and how you can get involved at www.susannorris.org.

iUniverse, 195 pages. Buy a copy here.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from a publicity group for the purpose of this review.