Book Review: Latter-day Warriors by Brock Lance Richardson

Every mother gazes down into her new baby's eyes and wonders what their lives will be like, who they will grow up to be, and makes plans for brilliant futures. When I held each of my children for the first time, I was overwhelmed with the sense of responsibility that came along with being given the care of these precious souls, and I was overwhelmed by something else, too - a sense of the strength they each carried within them. These were warriors sent into my home to continue the fight they began in the premortal realm - a fight against the lies of Satan.

I've spoken with several other mothers who have expressed feeling the same way, and it's no surprise. We know that as we draw closer to the end times of the world, God will be sending His most choice spirits, His warrior spirits, to lead this last charge and carry us on to victory at the time of the Second Coming. We are now raising those warriors in our homes to stand up and fight against the evil ploys of the adversary.

When Brock Richardson first contacted me to review his new release, Latter-day Warriors: Stepping into Your Spiritual Strength, I said yes primarily because I'm trying to read a little more inspirational nonfiction. What I didn't realize was that this book was going to be a tool for me to teach my children what I already know about them - that they have incredible missions here on this earth, and to help prepare them for those missions. We've had long discussions about it before, but as I read, I said to my husband, "I need to read this out loud to the kids." There are stories in here I believe will really inspire them.

Brock starts out by relating the story of his father, who was so ill during most of Brock's childhood that he'd go straight from school to the hospital so they could spend time together. His father would sometimes sneak away from the hospital to attend Brock's sporting events during high school, always in great pain, but willing to make that sacrifice. This man stood as a big example to Brock of everything he wanted to be, and when his father passed while Brock was serving his mission, Brock was devastated, but took great heart from something his mission president said - that now Brock's father could teach the ancestors of the people Brock was teaching in Uruguay. As Brock stayed close to the Spirit, he felt his father there, teaching with him.

The remainder of the book is broken up into ten chapters, each chapter being an interview with a member of the BYU football team. This may seem like an abrupt change of subject, but it's not - Brock uses football as an analogy for the battles we're all facing, and he learned during his own time on the BYU football team that the strength of the players came from their belief in God. Each interview not only discusses physical strength, but spiritual strength, and there are statements not only from the players, but their wives, making this book perfect for anyone to read. Us girls are warriors in this battle too, more powerfully than we even realize!

What I appreciated most about this book is the fact that it brings the truth to the forefront and makes it very real and very pertinent for our time, right now - the battle is real, we must be prepared, this isn't something that we need to worry about ten or fifteen years from now. We must be working diligently every day to ensure that our testimonies are in place and that we are seeking the Spirit in all we do so that when it's our turn to go onto the battlefield - when we have a missionary opportunity or someone is challenging our faith - we know what to say and we are able to be guided by the Holy Ghost in what other things we should say. A key point made in the book is that the power of our words and the force of our testimonies are the true weapons we will use. We may feel as though we aren't mighty in speaking, but if we're living our lives in accordance with the commandments, the Spirit will guide us in what to say when we need to say it.

I'm eager to start reading this book with my kids and to use it as a discussion point in our family home evenings. I feel very blessed to be raising four warriors, and my husband and I need to up our game and make sure that we're the best warrior trainers we can be.

Book Review: Understanding Your Endowment by Cory B. Jensen

I received my endowment almost exactly twenty years ago, on August 29th, 1995. I knew practically nothing about it, just that I'd be getting my garments and going through the veil. I didn't know either of those two things meant or entailed, just that it was a good thing and that I was looking forward to it, and that it was a step toward getting married, which would happen two days later, on the 31st.My husband was (and is) an avid temple goer, and he was so excited for me to go through for myself.

When I went through, I really didn't understand a lot of what was going on, but I felt the peace of the Spirit and knew that I would eventually come to understand it. Perhaps my experience was also somewhat muted by the fact that I was really sick that day. Regardless of what I did or didn't understand, when I stepped into the celestial room, my heart was full, and I knew I'd done something that made my Heavenly Father very happy.

Like I said, that was twenty years ago. I've now done endowment sessions in the Salt Lake, Provo, Timpanogos, Bountiful, and Jordan River Temples. I've attended sealings in most of those, plus Logan. I've gone to the open houses for Bountiful and Draper. I love the temple with all my heart, and while I know I don't understand even the first layer, I look forward to each time I go.

Understanding Your Endowment by Cory B. Jensen takes a closer look at the historical and doctrinal reasons why we do the things we do in the temple. He doesn't go into detail about things that are too sacred to share outside the temple walls, but instead, he breaks down the meanings of why we make covenants and why we are washed, etc. Pulling on scriptures from the different books of the standard works, he lays a foundation that helps us understand where the different parts of the endowment come from and why we still perform them today.

He doesn't focus solely on the endowment. Instead, he begins with the initiatory, which is as it should be because the initiatory is very much a part of the endowment - a preparatory step. He gives the biblical explanation for why we perform the initiatory, and then asks us to ponder the things we hear when we do that ordinance in the temple. After that, he discusses the background of the endowment, and then moves on to the sealing, which is the culminating step in the temple experience. If you as the reader have not yet attended the temple, you might not understand all the references he makes, but you will gain some understanding and perspectives as to why we follow that particular pattern.

This book, while doctrinal, is easy to read and understand. I read it in an evening and found it enjoyable and informative. It's not geared as a preparatory book for those who have never attended, but rather, is more for those of us who have attended to help us get more out of the temple experience. This isn't to say that those who haven't gone can't read it - it's just not meant as a preparatory tool per se.

The biggest thing this book did for me personally was to plant in my heart a desire to know my standing before the Lord and to seek Him out in prayer to ask what I yet lack. It also made me want to go back to the temple again with these new perspectives so I can continue to learn what the Lord would have me learn.

You can purchase Understanding Your Endowment by clicking here.

Book Review: How to Embrace Your Inner Hotness by Leta Greene

Raise your hand if you feel insecure about any part of your physical appearance! We all do - every one of us. Whether we're supermodels or soccer moms or weigh 120 pounds or 350 pounds, every person alive on earth dislikes something about themselves. I'm right there with you - I'm downright awesome in so many ways, and yet when it comes to my weight, I can't seem to cut myself any slack. The way I feel about myself emotionally gets piled on top of the unhealthy way I feel physically, and it becomes a vicious cycle of self-criticism that's difficult to break.

Makeup artist and motivational speaker Leta Greene addresses these issues and more in her new release, How to Embrace Your Inner Hotness: An Inside-out Approach to a Lasting Makeover. This book was a fun read for me on several levels.

First, Leta is a real woman. She's not a stick-thin, airbrushed, media-hyped personality - she has scars (literally) and she's really down-to-earth. Second, the book starts out by affirming something we should all be telling ourselves everyday - that we are of value, regardless of our appearance, and that God only creates beautiful things. She then gives practical tips for working with the very best of our features by choosing colors and styles and shapes to make ourselves amazing instead of longing for the body we may never have. If we honor what we have and dress for who we are now, we can feel good about ourselves every day instead of waiting to lost that ten, fifty, or hundred pounds before we'll give ourselves some credit.

In my experience, most books that give tips for makeovers concentrate on hair, makeup, and fashion. Leta gives advice for how to change the way we perceive ourselves before she gets into choosing the right moisturizer. She really gets at the heart of beauty, which is that it doesn't matter what you look like on the outside if you don't love yourself on the inside. She shared an experience of doing a makeover on a perfectly lovely model who talked about how ugly she was and how flawed she felt - loving yourself must be a function of your inner self, not the products you put on your face or how much you weigh.

Leta gives a to-do list for finding those qualities and traits in ourselves that we can admire and encourages us to remind ourselves daily that we are truly beautiful, shifting the focus to the positive. Then, after a time, we'll find that the things we don't like about ourselves are somehow less offensive in our eyes.

Because we all struggle with self-esteem, I think we should all read this book. Once again, here is the purchase link.

In addition, here is a link to Leta's beauty consulting business, and another to the TED talk she gave on this topic.

Book Review: Do Not Attempt in Heels compiled by Elise Babbel Hahl and Jennifer Rockwood Knight

With the historic lowering of the missionary age as announced last year by our prophet, we're seeing more and more sister missionaries enter the field than ever before. What was once seen as something to do "if you couldn't get married" is now becoming a viable and desired option rather than a Plan B. I've been excited to see this shift in mentality and the strength and excitement of young women the world over as they prepare themselves to go out and preach the gospel.

The new compilation book "Do Not Attempt in Heels" comes at the perfect time. Young women contemplating serving a mission are full of questions, and the personal essays in this book give an overview of some of the challenges missionaries might face as they head out. Many of the stories deal with finding personal testimony, learning how to reach the hearts of investigators, and ways to overcome doubt and discouragement. I was surprised and actually rather pleased to find a story submitted by an anonymous sister who found herself attracted to an elder in her area, and the steps she took to overcome that attraction. Things like that can and do happen, and I was glad to see it addressed. Another story dealt with a man pulling a knife on a sister missionary, and the courageous actions taken by her companion to get them both out of the situation.

Threaded throughout each story is the message that the Lord loves us and wants our success in every venue of our lives. He watches over and protects our missionaries and guides them where they need to be. He loves the investigators and helps prepare them to receive the message of the restored gospel. He gives solace when we are homesick and gives us words to say when we are dumbfounded. The Lord is deeply involved in the missionary effort and does not leave His young servants alone while they are doing His work.

I appreciated the spirit this book brought into my Sunday afternoon reading and I strongly recommend it for any sister who is planning to serve. For that matter, I don't think it would do an elder harm to read it, even if it does have high heels on the cover . . .  The message is true for both elders and sisters, of any age.

You can purchase "Do Not Attempt in Heels" for print and Kindle. 

Book Review: Patchwork Reality by Pauline Hansen

I've been a friend of Pauline Hansen's on Facebook for a while now and read some of her touching blog posts, so when I was approached about reviewing her book, Patchwork Reality, I was pleased to accept.

What would you do if your husband was diagnosed with schizophrenia?

For years, Pauline didn't know what was wrong. It started out slowly, with her husband, Curtis, telling her that there were good people in the community who were watching out for them and would see to it that they had what they needed. That was a comforting thought, and this didn't raise any red flags for her. However, over time her husband became paranoid, talking about how they were pawns in a game and that they could win millions of dollars if they did everything exactly right. They could only visit so many stores when they ran errands, or put so many items in their grocery cart. Whenever Pauline would ask him why this was so important, he would take her on walks so they wouldn't be overheard, and he'd explain that it was a new rule in the game.

In some ways, it was easy to pretend that everything was fine, but as his illness progressed, relationships became endangered. He refused to speak to their children because he believed they were clones sent in by their enemies. He stopped speaking to his co-workers for the same reason. He eventually lost his job because he was spending hours locked in a closet at work, communicating with a machine that would give him more information about the game. On and on it went, with Pauline feeling lost and completely helpless to know what to do.

When they finally reached a diagnosis, treatment began, and now things are much smoother. Through it all, Pauline stayed by her husband's side, and in fact, the subtitle of the book is "happily married to a schizophrenic." This is a story of overcoming a debilitating illness as a family, seeking to hold on to eternal ties even when mortal things seem to be falling apart. Her blog continues that theme by relating struggles and yet incorporating moments of love and humor.

What I liked about this book - it was really interesting to read about his symptoms from her perspective, what she noticed and how it impacted her and the family. She was totally in the dark as to what was going on, but did her best to work with him even when she didn't understand. The love this couple has for each other was very evident throughout the story.

What I wished - I felt the book ended too abruptly. We go on a journey with this family and see the situation grow worse and worse until the issue is diagnosed, and then we get a very quick epilogue and we're done. I would have liked to see them go through treatment and find the right medication and start to put things back together before the book came to a conclusion. As I read, I kept thinking, "This will be a valuable resource for those who are struggling in the same way," but at the end, I thought, "If we'd seen more of that path to recovery, it would be an even greater resource so people could have an idea of what to expect when they seek treatment."

Overall, this was a fascinating read. This author has a clear writing style that was easy to follow and relate to, and I became emotionally invested in the people involved (part of what made it hard not to follow them through treatment). It's not an easy read, but it's quick because it grabs you and holds your attention. I'd definitely recommend it, especially if you're concerned about the well-being of a loved one and are seeking more information about how to help them.

Book Review: A is for Abinadi

Today I’m delighted to bring you my review of A is for Abinadi, a new children’s book published by Cedar Fort, written by Heidi Poelman and illustrated by Jason Pruett.

ABC books for children abound. You walk into any children’s bookstore and they’re all over the place. But A is for Abinadi stands out from the others.

First of all, each letter of the alphabet stands for a distinctive figure from the standard works of the scriptures. The Bible, the Book of Mormon, and the Doctrine and Covenants are all represented here. In addition, we get a quick synopsis of who that person was and are reminded why they are significant.

Second, I was pleased to see both men and women represented. You might think that “H” would be Helaman, but it was actually Hannah. Other women in the book were Eve, Mary, Queen Esther, and Rebekah.

Third, I really enjoyed the humor in the illustrations. Not only are the pictures cute, but they’re funny. We see a camel spitting on a kid on Rebekah’s page, and apparently the sons of Mosiah were issued missionary name tags when they were sent out to serve. Who knew?

Another fun feature—and I admit, I was a little slow to notice this—but on each page, there are several things to find that start with that letter. For instance, when you look at Samuel the Lamanite’s page, you see people throwing skunks and scissors at him. You and your child can have fun finding all the things that start with the letter S while you’re reading that page. At first, I thought, “Oh, hey, that’s awesome. They’re throwing random stuff at Samuel—that’s funny.” But then I realized that it all started with the letter S. (Hey, I said I was slow on the uptake today.) 

On a more serious note, I appreciated the V page. That one stands for "Visiting Angel," and talks about Moroni coming to see the young Joseph Smith in the night. This picture shows Joseph sharing a room with his brothers, and they’re all asleep while the angel talks to Joseph. You may wonder why I appreciate this. Well, I love history, and I know from Church history that Joseph Smith never had a lot of money . His home in Vermont where he was born was about the size of my living room, no lie. The pictures we traditionally see of Joseph Smith receiving a visit from Moroni show him alone in his bedroom, and yet, from what we know of his history, odds are that he never had a bedroom of his own. Therefore, I appreciated seeing other siblings in the room in this picture book—it felt more real to me.

Daniel having a ton of fun in the lions' den.

I think this picture book would be a great resource for any home with young children. It teaches the alphabet and letter recognition, it helps children identify items that all begin with the same letter, and it introduces them to people in the scriptures in a simple way so they can begin to establish familiarity with the names and events they will be studying in greater detail as they get older. This one's definitely a keeper in my book (pun intended).

You can purchase A is for Abinadi at any LDS bookstore, or online by clicking here. 

Book Review: The Reluctant Blogger by Ryan Rapier

Today I'm quite pleased to review The Reluctant Blogger by Ryan Rapier.

Todd's wife died suddenly, leaving him alone to raise their three children. He's in shock and dealing with grief. He's worried about the emotional well-being of his kids and his ability to be there for them as a father. Most of all, he's angry at God for letting this happen.

Realizing that he needs help but not really knowing how to get it, Todd starts seeing a therapist, Dr. Schenk. He doesn't know how to open up and share what's in his heart, so his sessions are pretty quiet. Frustrated, Dr. Schenk gives Todd an assignment - he is to blog about his thoughts and feelings regarding his wife's death. The blog is private, something only Todd and Dr. Schenk can access, but it could be a valuable tool in helping Todd release his pent-up anguish and give him an outlet as he works through his emotional healing.

The problem is, Todd doesn't want to do it.

Out of ideas, Dr. Schenk gives Todd an ultimatum: write on the blog or stop coming in for therapy. Todd realizes that if he loses Dr. Schenk, he may never get the help he needs, so he begins to blog.

Those blog posts make up the bulk of this book.

I have to say, I enjoyed this read. The characters were refreshingly honest, from Dr. Schenk mentally redecorating his office while waiting for Todd to talk to Todd spilling Kool-Aid all over the place at a singles' dance and then bursting into tears because he realizes he can't tell his wife about it. I felt as though the characters were real, that I could identify with them. I enjoyed the voice of narration and found it very open and conversational. I especially enjoyed going with Todd on his journey as he learned what he needed to learn and began to see possibilities and understand things about himself.

I give two thumbs up to The Reluctant Blogger and recommend it to anyone looking for a unique LDS fiction novel that easily translates to a national market as well.

Purchase the book
Meet the author

Book Review: Motherhood Matters by Connie E. Sokol

I find it impossible to start this book review without commenting on how much I love this cover. Love, love, love, love ... okay, moving on to review.

Connie E. Sokol, popular presenter and guru of all things motherhood, had just taken her oldest child to college and her youngest for the first day of school when she found out she was pregnant, with her seventh, and she herself was 45 years old.  Surprised, she wondered what the universe had in store for her, but she accepted it all with excitement and good humor, and found joy in her journey even while going through unexpected morning sickness and swollen ankles.

Motherhood Matters is a short collection of Connie's thoughts about the divinity of motherhood, the precious gifts our children are to us, and the importance of appreciating all those wonderful moments that go along with having children. She shares funny stories from raising her own children and includes experiences from her friends' lives as well. I enjoyed this quick read one quiet Sunday afternoon and felt a little more motivated to get started on the tasks of the next week.

I did feel that some of the topics could have been expanded just a bit - the book was like nibbling at a refreshment table rather than sitting down to a full-course meal, because each chapter was around two pages long, but we don't always need long treatises.  If you're looking for a quick, uplifting, lighthearted read, this will brighten your day, and would be an excellent Mother's Day or birthday gift for the special mothers in your life - and friends, and daughters, and aunts, and cousins ...

You can purchase your copy here.

Book Review - Heaven Is Here by Stephanie Nielson

If you're a blogger, you belong to a very tight-knit community, a support system that steps up when you need someone to lean on. I remember a day back in August of 2008. The Internet became alive with pleas for help for a blogger named Stephanie Nielson, who had just been in a horrific plane crash, along with her husband, Christian. Bloggers everywhere posted her story and asked for donations and prayers, and that's how I was first introduced to the amazing author of NieNie Dialogues--through the eyes of others as they rallied on her behalf. I watched her story unfold online and was amazed at her strength and resilience. I saw an interview she and Christian did on Glenn Beck, and was inspired by her faith. One day while I was signing my own books at Costco, I saw Christian go walking past, and I felt like jumping up and down and screaming like a groupie. It's hard for me to explain my feelings of admiration for this couple, but perhaps through this book review, you'll come to understand it.

 Stephanie and Christian had a romance that most young girls dream of--he was the handsome and dashing prince who rode in and swept her off her feet, and she was the beautiful, quirky girl who loved red lipstick and high heels. They married in the temple and started a beautiful family. Stephanie loved being a mother and spent her time creating meals and decorating her house and totally immersing herself in the experience. With four sweet children and a wonderful husband, a supportive extended family, and her faith in Jesus Christ, she felt as though she had everything she could possibly want. 

Christian had always wanted to fly, and when the chance came for him to get his pilot's license, he jumped at it. He made good friends with Doug, his flight instructor, and spent hours in the cockpit. He was close to getting his license and achieving his lifelong dream in August of 2008, when he asked Stephanie and Doug to fly with him to the family ranch. It would be a quick day trip and they'd be back before dinner. Stephanie hugged her kids goodbye and headed out the door, feeling sad that her two-year-old had asked her not to go.

They had a fun day together and Stephanie was so excited to see her husband in the pilot's seat. As they took off to come home, however, something went wrong with the plane, and it crashed and caught fire. Stephanie's body was 80% burned, and Christian was not only burned as well, but suffered a broken back. Doug lived a short time, but then passed away.

What follows is a heart-wrenching story of guilt, pain, and recovery. Stephanie was in a medically induced coma for four months as the doctors worked diligently to save her life. They performed skin grafting surgeries every few days while she slept--the pain would have been too great to bear. Christian was in a nearby hospital undergoing much the same thing, and their children went to live with Stephanie's sisters. When Stephanie awoke, it was to find that her life would never be the same again, and she would have to go through trials of pain, endurance, hope, and faith like she had never imagined.

This book is very honest. Stephanie doesn't put herself forward as a heroine--she shares exactly what she was thinking, how she felt, the very real emotions she experienced as she went through therapy, more surgery, learning how to do everything over again, reconnecting with her children. This honesty, however, makes her a heroine of the best and truest sort.

I have a small scar on one knuckle on my right hand. I brushed my finger against the iron one day, and the pain was intense. It radiated up my arm and into my shoulder for days. When I try to comprehend what Stephanie and Christian went through, being so badly burned over such large percentages of their bodies, I can't fathom it. I can't picture how they survived, how they endured it. Stephanie has no doubt how she survived, however. She knows she was saved by the hand of God, and that He has walked beside her through the whole process.

One thing that is not mentioned in the book is the way she has turned her blog into a massive missionary effort. If you visit http://nieniedialogues.com/, you can request a copy of The Book of Mormon, which she will personally inscribe with her testimony. She has turned her tragedy into a ray of hope.

Heaven is Here is an amazing book about an amazing person and family. You will be inspired, you will cry, you will appreciate life so much more, and you will grab your children and your spouse and squeeze them a little tighter. Most of all, you will come to a greater understanding of the Lord's tender mercies and realize how they are granted in your life every single day.

(I received a copy of this book from the publisher for my review, but that did not influence my opinion.)

Book Review: Caller ID by Rachelle Christensen

Courtney Beckham is the daughter of a successful developer, so she's used to living in a nice home and having the things she wants and needs. Circumstances in her past have made her wary of relationships, and people in her life have formed the wrong impression of her - they think she's a spoiled little rich girl, a big flirt, and she would like nothing more than to change their opinions of her, but that would require her to open herself up and share the shadows of her past, and that's not something she's ready to do.

One day while horseback riding near her home, Courtney stumbles on a crop of marijuana growing in the woods. When confronted by angry men with guns who have been cultivating the plants, Courtney promises not to say anything if they'll just let her go, but they don't take her up on her offer. Instead, they abduct her and hold her captive.

As Courtney tries to escape, she discovers secrets that rock her world and put her in greater danger than ever before.

I enjoyed this novel by award-winning author Rachelle Christensen. The plot was full of twists and turns - two that I can think of completely caught me off guard. I would say that is Rachelle's biggest strength - her ability to take a plot we believe is predictable and turn it on its head until we don't know which way is up anymore. The tension was great throughout, the conflict well displayed, and I appreciate that we were given a suspenseful story without gratuitous violence or the use of crass language. It's hard to find stories that properly convey danger and life-threatening situations without delving into topics that are too dark for some readers, but this novel had just the right balance.

I found this novel a quick read, probably because I was turning the pages rapidly so I could see what was going to happen next.

You can purchase Caller ID by clicking here.

Book Review: Promises by Carolyn Frank

I've learned in my life to be very careful when I make promises. We've all heard the expression "Don't make promises you can't keep" - it's very wise advice. After I became a mother, it took on even more meaning because children are so literal, and their hearts get broken so easily. You can say, "I promise we'll go to the park," and then a thunderstorm hits and you can't take them - it makes perfect sense to you why the promise had to be broken, and yet to them, it's a betrayal of trust.

Other things absolutely should be promised.

I promise I'll always love you.

I promise I'll always take care of you.

I promise you'll always be the most important thing in my life.

I promise I will always try to do better.

These are the kinds of promises we should be making to our loved ones, promises that we absolutely intend to keep and will keep at all costs.

Promises is a new historical fiction novel by Carolyn Twede Frank, and centers around a twelve-year-old girl named Hattie who is moving with her family to the small town of Tropic down in the Bryce Canyon area. The descriptions of the landscape are so vivid, I took a moment to Google as I read, and it's an amazing place. Take a second and do that - it's a feast for the eyes.

Hattie doesn't want to move to a new town. She was very comfortable in her old home with her old friends, and relocating makes her feel insecure. She's already a timid girl and doesn't like that about herself - she wishes she could be more brave, say the things she wants to say, stick up for herself when it really matters. Coming to a new town gives her plenty of opportunities to test her wings and grow into the young woman she's supposed to be as she faces peer pressure and some real danger. In the end, she proves herself a heroine, as we knew she was all along.

This book would be enjoyed by readers ages 10 through adult - there are elements that will appeal to everyone along that spectrum.

There are a lot of fun things going on in conjunction with this book's release. First off, enter to win a full-sized puppet stage and puppets, value of $290 by participating in Carolyn’s blog tour giveaway. Check out her website or blog for more details.


Second, here's the trailer for the book:





In addition, be sure to check out the book tour for Cindy Hogan - she's releasing a new book right now too, and her tour has a lot of great stuff going on as well!

Book Review: Lightning Tree by Sarah Dunster

Backliner: After surviving the tragic deaths of her parents and her baby sister and a harrowing trek across the plains to Utah, it s no surprise that Maggie's nights are plagued by nightmares. But after years of harsh treatment by her foster family and memories that seem to hint at an unthinkable crime, Maggie is forced to strike out on her own to separate the facts from the lies.


Lightning Tree is a historical fiction novel set against the early history of Utah, but it's so much more - the characters have real personalities that leap off the page, and Maggie, the main character, is a strong voice for courage. Her circumstances are anything but pleasant - her parents were killed and she and her sister were sent to live with a foster family, separated from her brother. As she moves past the grief of the separation, she begins to have dreams and memories that tell her she's been lied to about her past, and she wonders if everything she's ever known has been a lie. 


Mystery, introspection, history, and internal character growth are on each page of this novel. I did feel that it moved a little slowly at times, but the story is rich and deep, and I feel that lovers of history and lovers of good storytelling will enjoy it.


This book was published in 2012 by Bonneville Books. I received a copy free for my review. 


You can order Lightning Tree by clicking here. 

Book Review: Force of Habit: Sister Madeleine Investigates by Cash Peters

It will come as no surprise that I have a soft spot for suspense novels with elderly female main characters.

When eccentric publisher Howard Barley of Los Angeles takes a dive off a ship in the waters of Nice, France, and into the propellers, rendering him quite headless, everyone on board is stunned. They had seen him wandering around, causing chaos and upheaval everywhere he went, but none of them anticipated that he would end up taking his own life. When a cremated body is found in the deceased’s suite, things only get more confusing.

Barley’s unusual death was not the first—there have been forty others. And it certainly won’t be the last—in fact, there’s a list.

Just how does a nun of slightly advanced years play into the picture? You’ll be surprised when you find out.

I enjoyed this read quite a lot.  I was sucked in by the suspense and thriller aspects, and didn’t realize at first that this actually is quite a funny book.  But I gave myself a stomachache laughing at the history of the convent where Sister Madeleine lives—the author’s humor is so dry and so subtle, and yet so incredibly funny, that I was on a roller coaster of emotion, chuckling one minute and on the edge of my seat the next.

It would be highly unlikely for me to read a book without noticing editing issues, and this book was no different – there were a few editing problems throughout.  However, this did not take anything away from the clever storyline and the author’s unique word choice, something I very much appreciated.

Cash Peters has created a gutsy, loveable main character, placed her in breathtaking danger, and brought all his readers along for the ride of a lifetime.

Click here to purchase your own copy of Force of Habit by Cash Peters. 

Book Review: Venom by K. C. Grant

Backliner: Samantha Evans is determined to make a name for herself in the cutthroat world of advertising. Newly hired by a prestigious ad agency, she volunteers to work on location in Mexico City as a personal assistant to the beautiful and driven creative director Katrina Edwards. At first the association seems promising. But Ms. Edwards seems preoccupied in a way that makes Samantha increasingly uneasy. In fact, many in the group seem like they are not being completely open about the project including David Ayala, the mysterious and moody photographer for whose attention the two women find themselves competing. After several strange accidents and numerous appearances by an unknown man, Samantha discovers the truth: not everyone on the team is in Mexico to create a stellar advertising pitch. When her sleuthing leads to her abduction, she is brought to the pyramids of Teotihuacán and comes face-to-face with the venomous evil of the South American crime boss known as “The Serpent.” Now Samantha must not only fight for her life, but she must also discover if she can trust the man she’s come to love.


K.C. Grant's first two novels were historical fiction, based on Abish in the Book of Mormon.  When I heard she was publishing a contemporary LDS suspense, I was curious to see how she would handle it. Many authors find their niche in one certain genre, and when they attempt other genres, they flounder. I was very pleased to see that she did a great job with this cross-genre piece. This book is well-written, and the author either traveled to Mexico or did a great deal of research - the setting is presented masterfully. 


I did feel that the ending stretched out a little longer than it should have, and could have been tightened up to bring things to a satisfactory conclusion a little bit sooner. That said, it was a highly enjoyable read and I recommend it to anyone who wants to experience an adventure in an exotic land.


Click here to purchase your own copy of Venom by K. C. Grant. 

Book Review: We Lived in Heaven by Sarah Hinze

As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and someone who has sought my own testimony of the gospel through fasting and prayer, I believe that we lived in heaven before we came to this earth. I believe that we existed there with the personalities we have here, and that we were excited to come and take upon ourselves physical bodies. I believe that we knew certain things about our lives, and that we felt ready for the challenge because we knew that all our Heavenly Father had promised would be given to us, for He never breaks His promises.

This is the basic theme of the book We Lived in Heaven by Sarah Hinze.

Sarah was blessed to have foreknowledge of her mission as a mother before her children were born, and she learned that other people had been given the same sorts of experiences - they had seen spirit children in their home, only to later look into the eyes of their newborn and realize they had already met, or to dream about the coming of a new child, either while asleep or awake. Sarah compiled these stories into We Lived in Heaven so we can all read them and feel uplifted by the experiences these people had.

Some of the stories are a little more in-depth than others, and to be honest, I wasn't sure why some were included, although spiritual stories are always important and I don't mean to give the impression that some are more important than others. It just seemed to me that some of the inclusions made their point more clearly.  I also was a little bit distracted by the editing style - many of the sentences were short and choppy, and I would have preferred to see them hooked together to create more of a flow.

Regardless of my editing pet peeves, I enjoyed reading this collection of stories, which has done nothing but emphasize the testimony I already had of the premortal life from which we all came, and reminds me how very thin the veil between that world and this actually is.

You can purchase your copy here and your Kindle download here.

Book Review: RetirementQuest by John Hauserman

We are all busy people.  We have families, jobs, homes to care for, bills to pay, groceries to buy, we try to keep up with our health, and we volunteer in our communities. Some days are so busy that we barely have time to brush our teeth before we fall into bed.  It's no wonder that so many people put off thinking about retirement until the very last minute, only to discover that if they'd made it more of a priority just a little earlier, they could have saved themselves so much hassle.


From Amazon.com: RetirementQuest: Make Better Decisions was written by a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ practitioner who has been counseling clients since 1992. Drawing from his twenty years of experience, John Hauserman has developed a unique ability to communicate complex financial subject matter in easy to understand terms. Readers are guided through the basics of financial planning, while threads of politics, history, and psychology are woven together to create a tapestry of deeper understanding into the financial planning world. Complete with hard hitting insight into the practices and sometimes abuses of the financial services industry, John has created a masterpiece designed to help those responsible-minded investors who are seeking to avoid common planning mistakes.


This book is easily read and understood, and answers many of the questions people have about their retirement years.  I highly recommend it, even if retirement is a little ways down the road - if you plan now, you are that much further ahead of the game.  If you wait until the month before your 65th birthday, you might discover all kinds of things you could have done along the way to make your path easier - don't have financial regrets in your golden years when you can prepare now.


Click here to order your own copy of RetirementQuest. 

Book Review: Prank Wars by Stephanie Fowers

I didn't go to college, per se - I took some correspondence courses through BYU Independent Study, and a couple of trade school courses, also through correspondence.  Reading Prank Wars by Stephanie Fowers made me wish I'd lived in a dorm for a while ... if for no other reason than it sounds like a whole lot of fun.

Book Blurb:  All war. No love. Madeleine’s been hurt too many times in the dating scene to let Byron beat her in some huge prank war. They’ve had their deserters, their POW's, their casualties, but no one can risk losing the battle of the sexes.
 

Except now something strange is happening at the college...and it’s not just the students. Buried deep beneath the pranks is real danger and the only other person who suspects is Byron. Should Mad join sides with him or does that mean forfeiting her heart to the enemy?

As I started into this book, I was immediately drawn in to the comedy, and the friendships between the characters.  Madeleine is a feisty chick who knows what she wants and isn't about to get pushed around - and isn't about to give up her crown as the ultimate prankster. Byron is a little too self-assured for her tastes, and she's determined to push him off his pedestal and show him that he's only human.  She rallies her friends and roommates and he rallies his, and the two groups go head-to-head booby-trapping each other's apartments and playing all sorts of radical practical jokes.  The competition gets more and more fierce - and sometimes a little over the top - until Madeleine realizes she's stumbled into something big, something dangerous, and the two groups of college students must band together to get out of it safely.

I enjoyed the first portion of the book quite a lot, but when the mystery elements began to be revealed, I was even more intrigued.  The story had more dimensions than I thought at first - not just the tale of college students on the loose with no parental supervision whatsoever, it was filled with suspense and action.  I read the last several pages at double speed, eager to see how it all played out, and was not disappointed.

You can click here to check out Stephanie Fowers' website and watch the book trailer.  Click here to buy the e-book, and here to buy the hard copy.

Book Review: On Little Wings by Regina Sirois

I have always connected to the world through books.  I learned to read when I was five, and the love affair just continued from there.  Some books have stayed with me through the years and I refer to them time and time again, but every book I’ve ever read has become part of the fabric of who I am. 

A couple of years ago, I had the privilege of reading an unpublished manuscript for the novel On Little Wings by Regina Sirois.  I knew as I read it that it would become one of those books that would stay with me.  From the first page, I was sucked into the story by the beautiful writing.  A piece of literary fiction for the national young adult market, it takes simple events and makes them extraordinary through intelligent, remarkable word choice and perspective. 

Our main character is Jennifer, a teenage girl who learns that her mother has been keeping a secret—she has family living in Maine, despite years of telling Jennifer she has no relatives.  The pain of the discovery is greater than it should be—her mother seems absolutely wracked with grief when the truth comes out, making Jennifer wonder why.  Why didn’t her mother want her to know she had family?  Why did she run away from them?  Why is she so upset that Jennifer now knows?  And why won’t she let Jennifer contact them or have anything to do with them?

Jennifer feels that the rifts that have existed in her family cannot be healed until she gets to the source—her mother’s childhood.  Against her parents’ wishes, she travels to Maine to visit this newly discovered family, and embarks on a journey of self-discovery as well.

At the time I read the manuscript, I was absolutely convinced that it should have a place on the bookshelf alongside other great literary fiction titles such as Peace Like a River by Leif Enger and Light on Snow by Anita Shreve.  Unfortunately, this book’s publication was delayed for a while. I cheered when I learned it was finally to be released this last fall—it was a long time coming, far longer than it should have been, but every great book has a story of its own, one of how it came into being, and this one is no different.  The path may have been long and winding, but the book is here now, and it has created far-reaching ripples in the writing community.  The quality of the writing is something we simply don’t see from most new authors. I could tell as I read that the writer weighed each word carefully. She didn’t rush through the story pell-mell—she carefully allowed the story to unfold, page by page, with a gentle, artistic touch. I congratulate the author on staying the course, for following her dream, and for understanding that the best stories are not forced—they are born.

You can purchase the hard copy here, or the Kindle edition here.

Or ... you could enter to win a free copy ...

All you need to do is the following:

1.  Visit Regina's website and then send me the answers to the following questions (hint: read the about the author page):

         a) Where does Regina live?

         b) She cried the first time she ... what?

         c) Regina Sirois holds nothing back as she dares to make us ... what?

That's it!  You will be entered to win a hard copy of On Little Wings.  I must receive all entries by midnight Mountain time on February 18th, this Saturday. Winners will be chosen by Random.org and notified by e-mail.

Book Review: The Breakup Artist by Shannen Crane Camp

Amelia Marie Bedford is really good at her job.  She’s got the wardrobe for it, the clientele, she knows her market—and she’s making enough money to save for college.  It’s too bad that not everyone agrees with her chosen profession.

Amelia is a breakup artist.  Hire her, and she’ll get rid of your unwanted boyfriend for you in just a matter of days.  You won’t have to stare into his sad eyes or hear him beg for mercy—she’ll do all that for you. It’s just easier having someone else handle your unpleasant business.

But then she meets David—really, really good-looking David—and he tells her that it’s his mission in life to bring her down.  Doesn’t she realize she’s messing with people’s lives?  Shouldn’t they learn to fend for themselves?  Amelia disagrees with everything he’s saying … until she realizes she’s fallen for him.

“The Breakup Artist” is geared toward the national young adult audience, although appropriate for the LDS reader as well.  It’s a light read, but also contains moments of reflection as Amelia comes face to face with some of her own demons.  We see her grow up and take responsibility for her actions, and we catch a glimpse of why she is the way she is.  These elements made me sit up and think, and I was particularly impressed with the discussion questions in the back of the book.  Those questions brought out elements of the story that were hidden beneath a deeper layer, and I appreciated their inclusion.

Two things bothered me about this read.  I hope the first isn’t too much of a spoiler.  David wants Amelia to go out of business and to stop meddling with other people’s relationships, but in the end, he relaxes his stance.  I was disappointed—I admired his integrity in standing up to her, and when he backed down, I respected him a little less.

Second, there were editing issues throughout the entire novel.  I noticed repetition, missing punctuation, rambling—things that distracted me from the entertainment of the story.  I wished the editing had been more precise. The story deserved it.

Overall, this was a fun read with personable characters, some great subtle themes, a very cute cover, and a believable character arc that flowed from beginning to end.  

Book Review: Persuasion by Rebecca H. Jamison

The writing industry goes through its phases, and Jane Austen rewrites are definitely what’s cool right now.  Some are passable, some are not—and hard to imagine for an Austen remake, but some are erotic. Authors both national and LDS are experimenting with the trend, and I’m pleased to report that author Rebecca H. Jamison has really done a nice job with her novel “Persuasion.”

The story of course follows the basic outline laid for us in Austen’s classic.  Sensible Anne was engaged to handsome Wentworth years before, but chose to call it off out of uncertainty.  When she meets up with him again eight years later, she realizes that her feeling for him are just as strong as ever, and she wonders if he can forgive her for breaking his heart.

We begin our tale with the yard sale taking place at Anne’s father’s house.  His extravagant lifestyle has made it necessary for him to move so he can reduce his expenses, and most of the work has fallen to Anne.  She’s the dependable one in the family, out of necessity—the other family members are self-absorbed, and as we see her against their backdrop, we appreciate her more.  She’s in the garage negotiating the sale of a lawnmower when Neil Wentworth shows up, throwing her whole world into chaos.  We see her struggle to conceal her feelings, her desire to reach out to him and yet her shame at her actions, and of course, a satisfying conclusion as they both finally open up to each other and express everything they’ve been longing to say. 

What I enjoyed most about this novel was the author’s solid writing style.  She described settings and emotions with a deft hand, and in fact, I read some portions of the book aloud in a class I taught about writing emotion.  I did find myself a little bit distracted by the use of present tense for the narrative voice—I’m not a fan of present tense, personally, and I had to overcome that one particular pet peeve of mine as I started my read. But once I got over my pride and my prejudice, and instead exercised some sense, rather than sensibility, I was very well persuaded to enjoy this novel.

Rebecca Jamison enjoys running, dancing, making jewelry, reading, and watching chick flicks. Rebecca grew up in Vienna, Virginia. She attended Brigham Young University, earning a BA and MA in English. In between college and grad school, she served a mission to Portugal and the Cape Verde islands. Rebecca now lives with her husband and children in Utah. You can learn more about her at www.rebeccahjamison.com