Two new Mormon memoirs have garnered strong reviews, as well as being appealingly diverse: Swedish author Lene Fogelberg’s medical memoir Beautiful Affliction and Ignacio Garcia’s Chicano While Mormon. Books were honored by the American Library Association and the RONE Awards for independent books. Several Mormon authors were honored for their notable essays in Best American Essays. Christine Hayes’ debut middle grade novel Mothman’s Curse got a starred
review from Kirkus. Frank L. Cole, Richard Paul Evans, Charlie Holmberg, and Carol Lynch Williams also have new nationally published middle grade or young adult novels. Best-selling Mormon market author Jennifer Moore saw her latest Regency novel published. Once I Was A Beehive continues to do well, and is expanding outside of Utah, and The Scorch Trials, the second film based on James Dashner’s The Maze Runner series, opens as the top box office earner in the country. The documentaries Peace Officer and Most Likely to Succeed are on screening tours. Water Sings Blue, a play based on poetry from a children’s picture book by Kate Coombs, debuts at BYU. Please send news and corrections to mormonlit AT gmail DOT com.
News and blog posts
The American Library Association‘s review journal Booklist announced its Top 10 lists of the year. They included:
Young Adult Romance Novels: Forbidden. By Kimberly Griffiths Little. 2014. Harper, Gr. 9–12. “In ancient Mesopotamia, Jayden is betrothed to the cruel Horeb. When her world falls apart and a stranger appears, she tries to fight a relationship that is strictly forbidden. A breathless romance in a unique time and setting.”
Romance Fiction: This Heart of Mine. By Brenda Novak. 2015. MIRA. “Back in Whiskey Creek after serving time for a crime she did not commit as a teen, namely killing a rival for Riley’s affections, Phoenix just wants to get to know her and Riley’s son. In this second-chance contemporary romance, Novak sensitively explores redemption, forgiveness, and the healing power of love.”
The Young Adult Library Service Association (YALSA)’s annual Best Fiction for Young Adults nominees include Courtney Alameda for “Shutter” and Chris Crowe for “Death Coming Up the Hill”.
Salt Lake City Weekly Magazine announced its “Best of Utah Arts” awards. Among the winners are:
Reader Picks BEST FICTION BOOK: Ink and Ashes, by Valynne E. Maetani. “A thriller that was also a strong coming-of-age story, Ink and Ashes told the story of Claire, a Japanese-American teenager who begins to discover long-buried family secrets about her father, who died years earlier. Maetani proved effective at life-and-death excitement as Claire’s investigation takes her into dangerous places, while the story incorporates a compelling romantic sub-plot. But the story may have been best at exploring a girl gradually emerging from a cocoon of being protected by her family and friends, and claiming the adulthood that can sometimes mean finding out things about the world that change you forever.”
Staff Picks: BEST FANTASY DOUBLE-FEATURE: Jessica Day George, Thursdays With the Crown and Silver in the Blood. “Utah author Jessica Day George has been such a prolific creator of charming fantasies for young readers that it’s easy to take her for granted. But in the last 12 months, she both continued a popular series, and created a brand-new world. Thursdays With the Crown picked up the cliffhanger of her books built around the mysterious Castle Glower; Silver in the Blood introduced a pair of 1890s New York debutantes who discover that they have strange family connections in Romania. That’s a lot of transporting delighted readers for one year.”
Staff Picks: BEST MODEL FOR FAITH-BASED FILMMAKING: Once I Was a Beehive. “For many secular moviegoers, the label “faith-based film” has generally been an indicator of pandering, self-righteous, often paranoid nonsense. How refreshing to find writer/director Maclain Nelson crafting something that works as satisfying storytelling no matter what your own personal beliefs might be. This story of a non-Mormon teenage girl on a Young Women’s campout with her new step-cousin explores grief, doubt and belief with humor, sensitivity and genuine respect for its characters’ varying points of view. Filmmakers who want to do more than get the like-minded to pat themselves on the back could stand to take a few notes.”
The 2015 RONE Awards, given to books published independently or by small publishers, were announced. Among the winners were: American Historical: Sara Eden, Longing for Home: Hope Springs, Contemporary Sweet: Danyelle Furguson, Sweet Confections, New Adult: Donna K. Weaver, Torn Canvas.
Notable Essays of the last year appeared in Best American Essays, 2015. Among the works on the long list were:
Matthew James Babcock. “My Nazi Dagger”. In War, Literature, and the Arts.
Joshua Foster. “Bring on the Spins”. Tin House
Joey Franklin. “Houseguest”. Mid-American Review
Lance Larsen. “I Am Thinking of Pablo Casals.” Southern Review
Patrick Madden. “Aborted Essay on Nostalgia.” Tusculum
The Summer 2015 issue of Dialogue (48:2) includes “Fast Offering”, a short story by William Morris “channeling Alice Munro, Doug Thayer and his childhood” [William provides liner notes for the story here], Mary Bradford remembering the life of Emma Lou Thayne in a moving tribute “Follow the Light, Lulie”. Kim Abunuwara offers reflections on the Provo Tabernacle, Tracie Lamb explores how her relationship with Buddhism intersects with her Mormon identity. Jessica Jensen’s review of Julie Neuffer’s Helen Andelin and the Fascinating Womanhood Movement, and Russell Fox’s review of books on liberalism and the American Mormon. Poetry from S.P. Bailey, Sarah Page, and Emma Lou Thane. Cory Crawford examines the struggle for female authority in Biblical and Mormon tradition.
Back When Deseret Book Was Edgy. By Michael Austin, BCC. Michael on Bernard Molohon’s 1933 novel Hell’s Belle, “one of the most vivid pro-contraception and pro-pre-marital sex novels published west of the Mississippi in the first half of the 20th century.” “I don’t have the foggiest idea how a book like this managed to get published by Deseret News Press in 1933, when even mainstream publishing houses refused to handle material this hot. I strongly suspect that it was taken on as a contract job and never really looked at too carefully . . . I will go to sleep tonight with an extra smirk on my face and an off-color song in my heart, secure in the knowledge that the same mainstream Mormon press that published _The Not Even Once Club_ did, in fact, even once. For one brief and shining moment during the depths of the Great Depression, the official publishing arm of the LDS Church, for reasons I can only guess at, was a purveyor of edgy, dark, politically progressive smut.” Kent Larsen, in the comments, says, “The Deseret News Press isn’t exactly the same as Deseret Book. It was as much as printer as it was a publisher, and as a printer it would print whatever an author wished — often putting its own name as the publisher even though it did no editorial work. As publisher the press would simply fill whatever sales orders came for the title.”
David Pace, Postum and the Three Nephites. An interview with David Pace about his first novel, Dream House on Golan Drive. (15 Bytes).
Celebrating Samuel W. Taylor, a Peculiar Person. JFeinauer, Patheos.
The BYU English Reading Series – Fall 2015. All readings take place on Fridays at noon in the HBLL auditorium.
Sept. 11: Tim Wirkus (2014 AML Novel Award winner)
Sept. 18: Steven Peck (Fiction and science writer, 2014 AML Short Story Award winner)
Sept. 28: Rolando Hinojosa-Smith (Chicano literature at UT Austin)
Oct. 2: Peter Nabokov (Native American literature at UCLA)
Oct. 9: Terry Tempest Williams (Environmental literature, 2 time AML award winner)
Oct. 16: Malachi Black (Poetry)
Oct. 23: Phillip Lopate (Literary Non-fiction)
Oct. 30: Ron Carlson (Novelist, short stories)
Nov. 6: Mark Oppenheimer (Religion journalist. He wrote the NY Times article about the lack of great Mormon literature last year)
Nov. 13: Carol Lynch Williams (YA novelist, 2 time AML award winner)
Nov. 20: Joey Franklin (Creative non-fiction. His first collection of essays, “My Wife Wants You To Know I’m Happily Married”, comes out in November as part of the Tobias Wolff American Lives series at the University of Nebraska Press. BYU Creative Writing faculty member).
Dec. 4: Student readings.
“Announcing Exponent II’s Winter Issue short story contest of Mormon feminist midrash. Midrash is a Jewish tradition of spinning out a new story based on scripture, filling in narrative gaps or retelling the scripture from a new point of view. Stories can help resolve tension or evoke questions as they ask the reader to consider possible meanings, even as the fictionalized accounts are not meant to be taken literally. For our short story contest, we are inviting writers to tell us the missing stories of women from the scriptures. Give us the perspective of Deborah, Huldah, Dinah, Miriam, the woman at the well, Mary Magdalene, Sariah, Laman’s wife, or Emma Smith. Many of the stories we receive will be printed in our Winter 2015 issue of Exponent II and the winner of the contest will receive $150. Submissions should be between 800-3000 words and the deadline is November 2.”
Podcasts
The Cultural Hall: The Gerald N. Lund Book Club. A Generation Rising by Gerald N. Lund. An interview with Gerald Lund, discussing his life and career, and A Generation Rising, the first volume of his newest series, Fire and Steel, which follows the journey of a German family during the First World War. There will also be a live Book Club discussion, October 8 at 6 pm at the Sandy Utah Library (10100 Petunia Way).
The Cultural Hall: Saturday’s Warrior. Discussion with composer Lex de Azevedo and director Michael Buster about their theatrical version of Saturday’s Warrior, scheduled for release in 2016.
Short Works
Joey Franklin. “Girl Fight”, in Love and Profanity: A Collection of True, Torturous, Wild, Hilarious, and Intense Tales of Teenage Life. Switch Press, March 1. Creative non-fiction.
Joey Franklin. “Stuck”, in Hunger Mountain, The VCFA Journal for the Arts. August. Creative non-fiction. Giving plasma, and learning about his new town of Athens, Ohio, near the Appalachians.
Nancy Fulda. “The Cyborg and the Cemetery.” Twelve Tomorrows. MIT Technology Review SF Annual. Sept. 2015. “My contribution to this anthology is another “deep thought” story, falling somewhere between Movement and Godshift in literary style. I recall that I was reading work by Heinlein at the time I wrote it. The story builds on one of my pet theories about artificial intelligence. Current AI research tends to focus on intellectual models: logic systems, Bayesian learning, neural networks and interlingua, for example. I’ve always felt that this was a somewhat limited way to view cognition, and that when it comes to emulating consciousness, the endocrine system is at least as important as the brain’s neural pathways. Human identities are embedded in emotional experience, not merely in rational thought. . . From the Borg in Star Trek to the treatment of precogs in Minority Report, science fiction repeatedly shows us images of humans hemmed in by technology. This can certainly happen, and often does happen, in the modern world. In the Cyborg and the Cemetery, I deliberately set out to explore the opposite supposition. I wanted to show how technology can give us back our humanity, instead.”
Hazel K. Todd. “Jerusha Spends the Night”. Relief Society Magazine, 1970. Chapter 1 (of 7). Keppapichinin starts reprinting another Mormon serialized story from the achieves.
New Books and their reviews
True Heroes: A Treasury of Modern-day Fairy Tales. Shadow Mountain, Sept. 8. Short story anthology, illustrated with photographs. Authors: Adam Glendon Sidwell, Ally Condie, Bobbie Pyron, Brandon Mull, Chad Morris, Clint Johnson, Frank L. Cole, Ilima Todd, J. Scott Savage, Jennifer A. Nielsen, Jess Smart Smiley, Kristyn Crown, Lehua Parker, Liesl Shurtliff, Linda Gerber, Peggy Eddleman, Sara B. Larson, Shannon Hale, Sharlee Glenn, Stephen Reid Andrews, Tyler Whitesides. Photographs: Jonathan Diaz. Shadow Mountain Publishing asked 21 middle-grade authors to create original short stories, modern-day fairy tales, based on the lives and dreams of children they have met who all have two things in common: They have very big hopes and dreams and they are all cancer patients. Each short story is prefaced by a brief introductionary bio of the child and is accompanied by photographs of the child, fully costumed and digitally inserted into a background-A baker, a dancer, a superhero, a dragon fighter, a sports star, a princess and more- that makes them the hero of their own modern day fairy tale story. Here is a People Magazine feature story with several of the photographs.
Kirkus: “In this unusual pro bono gathering, 21 children struck by cancer are worked into elaborately staged photographs and then into matching stories created by as many Utah authors. For his “Anything Can Be” project, photographer and collection editor Diaz costumes the young patients according to their wishes—as fairies, athletes, knights, a firefighter, a cowpoke, or less generically as a baker, “Batkid,” and a “fashionista”—and portrays them here with fulsome introductory tributes to their spirit and courage. The children display these qualities in the ensuing stories, and if the cover’s claim that most of the authors are “best-selling” is, at best, premature, there’s quality here. Shannon Hale offers a tale of a warrior princess imprisoned in a tower by goblins who shave her head so she can’t escape à la Rapunzel, and Brandon Mull gives readers a costumed young superhero redirecting a vengeful bullying victim onto the moral high road; both stories are strong and effective for all their brevity. The overall tone of earnest boosterism is twice relieved by funny stories (Tyler Whitesides’ “A Fireman Always Helps” and Bobbie Pyron’s “Sada of the High Seas”) and by Lehua Parker’s powerful “Mermaid’s Tale,” in which just walking up a staircase becomes an agonizing feat of endurance. Broad streaks of sentimentality, particularly in the pictures, but the worthy purpose shines through.”
Stephanie Black. Played For a Fool. Covenant, Sept. 5. Romantic suspense. Sequel to Fool Me Twice. Eighth novel.
Alicia Buck. Out of the Ashes. Sweetwater/Cedar Fort, Sept. 8. YA fairy tale. Retelling of Cinderella, with the girl having magical powers. Second novel.
Frank L. Cole. The Afterlife Academy. Delacorte, Sept. 8. Middle grade speculative. Cole moves from Cedar Fort to a national publisher. “Walter Prairie knows how to deal with bullies. He just has to beat them to the punch. But he doesn’t see the biggest hit of his life coming when he is struck dead by a bolt of lightning. Before Walter even knows what’s happened, he is sent to a Categorizing office, fast-tracked through the Afterlife Academy, and assigned as a Guardian Agent to protect a High-Level Target.”
SLJ: “The characters are likable and relatable. The tone throughout is the perfect level of sarcastic humor mixed with a realistic view of kids’ social interactions. The plot and afterlife invention is certainly a clever way to imagine what happens after you die. VERDICT: An appealing ghost story without being creepy, this title would a great read for any reader looking for a mix of adventure and humor.”
Kirkus: “Flat dialogue, a predictable plot, and one-dimensional characters are only a few of this supernatural thriller’s problems. Social and familial dramas consistently upstage the paranormal maneuverings, making the story’s only distinctive element feel almost irrelevant. And evil demons seem more wacky than dangerous, undermining any true tension. The afterlife never seemed so dead.”
Wendy Jessen, Deseret News. “Cole’s fast-paced fantasy can be enjoyed by the entire family. His use of humor and suspense is a winning combination for an adventurous and delightful read.”
Colin Douglas. Glyphs. Walking Lion Press, March 17. Poetry. “Includes poems (some revised) from his first book, First Light, First Water, along with fifty-six new pieces, all stunningly dreamlike, disturbing, and beautiful. Douglas writes: “Readers will find the poems in the first part of this collection, approximately through ‘Outside the Longhouse, ‘ to be readily accessible, but those in the latter part of the book may seem puzzling and strange-‘surrealistic.’ If the reader finds a beauty in those poems, despite their seeming irrationality, and though it be a mysterious beauty, then I call them successful. To my mind, poems of this kind can be merest glimpses through a window on the infinite and eternal and marvelous and rationally, literally unspeakable mystery of being, of ‘that which is Spirit, even the Spirit of truth, ‘ in the words of Joseph Smith (Doctrine and Covenants 93:23); of the utter freedom-agency-of Being; of the erotic and convulsively beautiful ecstasy of Eternal Life and Creation.”
Heidi Jo Doxey. Liam Darcy, I Loathe You. Cedar Fort/Sweetwater, May 12. YA romance. Pemberley Prep #1. Jane Austen with a modern makeover, set in a Northern California prep school.
Tara Creel, Deseret News: “While it’s not a new concept to retell an Austen novel, the freshness in “Liam Darcy, I Loathe You!” comes from Doxey’s decision to include six different Austen tales in one book. It may seem overwhelming to read from seven different points of view pulled from six different stories, but Doxey’s novel is a smooth and easy read. The characters each have a distinct voice and story, making it easy to separate them, and the book follows a simple timeline that draws all the entries together.”
Richard Paul Evans. Michael Vey: Storm of Lightening. Simon Pulse, Sept. 15. YA science fiction. Michael Vey #5. Fifth in a series of six books. Several reader reviews say it has less action, and feels a bit like filler before the climax.
Christine Feehan. Dark Ghost. Berkley, Sept. 1. Dark Saga #28. Supernatural romance.
Lene Fogelberg. Beautiful Affliction: A Memoir. She Writes Press, Sept. 15. Memoir.
BookPage: “Imagine being a tall, Swedish redheaded mother of two young girls―the apparent picture of health―but for years living with constant chest pressure, severe fatigue and difficulty breathing. In Beautiful Affliction, Lene Fogelberg explains how, for much of her life, she feared she was about to die because of what she called “the monster” pounding against her ribs. Early on, a specialist reassured Fogelberg’s family that a congenital heart murmur was nothing to worry about. Nonetheless, she could never do things like mow lawns or walk long distances, prompting others to think her lazy. Once she became a mother, simple tasks made her feel faint, prompting her to slump over a chair in front of the stove to summon the energy to simply flip pancakes . . . Fogelberg, a poet, structures her saga well, writing in alternating chapters about growing up with her “monster,” and arriving in the United States, where her condition is diagnosed and she has corrective open-heart surgery. Beautiful Affliction is an unusual, riveting medical drama crafted with deep emotion and exquisite detail.”
Steven L. Peck blurb: 5 stars. “Fogelberg has crafted a literary and beautifully compelling story, which is much more than a medical mystery. It is a heartfelt and touching story about a mother who loves her husband and children and struggles with the thought of leaving them behind. Her efforts to give them a sense of her love and how she wants that love to be remembered is what makes this book a magnificent memoir that I will be thinking about for a long time.”
Mette Ivie Harrison blurb: ““Gripping, powerful, touching, beautiful. A memoir about a woman who fights to remain alive because of her daughters and her husband. A story everyone can relate to and will want to read to the inspiring end.”
Ignacio Garcia. Chicano While Mormon. Fairleigh Dickinson University Press, May 7. Memoir. Garcia is a Professor of Western and Latino History at BYU. Juvenile Instructor interview.
New Books Network: The identities of Chicano and Mormon may seem contradictory or oxymoronic. . . .[Yet] in this deeply personal narrative, Dr. Garcia addresses the tension of navigating two seemingly contradictory social groups while growing up in a segregated barrio, fighting for America abroad, and organizing for la raza at home.
Blurbs: “Think you know what it means to be Mormon? In this tough, tender memoir, Ignacio García reminds us that Mormon barrio girls with hair teased high, walkouts, grape boycotts, urban congregations run by tough-minded working-class women, soulful contemplations in the Vietnam barracks—these too belong to the modern LDS experience. His story reminds us that the Mormon faith can fuel a hunger for social justice, and that the Mormon people have a great deal to learn by turning the time over to our brothers and sisters of color. Thank you for the wisdom, Brother García. Adelante, and amen.” (Joanna Brooks, author, The Book of Mormon Girl)
“Garcia’s memoir will be remembered and appreciated as being perhaps the first of its kind: a poignant, unflinching, and deeply humane story of the complexities of identity and belonging for Hispanic Mormons (or Mormon Hispanics). For all those who have come to reflexively equate Mormonism with white American conservatism, behold here a very different, yet deeply authentic, kind of Mormonism—one equally committed not only to faith, morality, and individual achievement but also to grassroots activism for peace and social justice and solidarity with immigrants and the poor. “Pioneer” is a hackneyed term in Mormonism, but this memoir reminds us that Mormon pioneering truly did not end in the nineteenth century.” (Patrick Q. Mason, Howard W. Hunter Chair of Mormon Studies, Claremont Graduate University)
“A unique, powerful, and inspiring memoir on the complexities of becoming a Chicano Mormon by one of the accomplished historians of his generation.” (Mario T. García, University of California, Santa Barbara, author of Mexican Americans: Leadership, Ideology & Identity).
Christine Hayes. Mothman’s Curse. Roaring Brook Press, June 16. Early Reader/Middle Grade ghost-story/suspense. Illustrated by James K. Hindle. Debut novel.
Kirkus (starred review): “Ghostly portents and horrifying visions drive two children to desperate efforts to avert an impending catastrophe in this debut chiller. Rummaging through estate goods their father has been hired to auction off, Ohio sibs Josie and Fox find two old Polaroid cameras that produce a spectral image of their sad former owner, a suicide victim, in every picture they spit out. The plot thickens with the further discovery of a gold pin that projects Josie back to the 19th century to watch as a love triangle ends with a gunshot and the creation of the Mothman—a cryptid of recent vintage that the author casts here as a vengeful spirit linked to a string of historical calamities. Worse yet, the old pin carries the titular curse, which requires its owner either to save every potential victim of an upcoming disaster or die. But what disaster looms? How to concoct a convincing warning? Can the curse ever be broken? Along with a red-eyed, winged monster who is not at all shy about appearing, even over crowds of terrified onlookers, Hayes folds sudden blasts of bone-chilling cold, conversations with the dead, and plenty of other thrillingly eerie elements into a tale that winds suspensefully to a wild, scary climax. Hindle’s static cartoons add occasional notes of atmospheric gloom. An ectoplasmic extravaganza …tailor-made for reading beneath the bedcovers.”
SLJ: “The fantasy elements (which are based on local legends) and the realistic portions of the plot are strongly crafted, resulting in a balanced blend of genre and literary elements. Hayes’s characters are appealing but flawed, and their relationships will ring true for middle grade readers. Over time, the Fletcher children begin to come to terms with their mother’s death by learning that they can always rely on one another. VERDICT Scary enough to appeal to readers who are growing out of R.L. Stine titles, this may also tempt fans of realistic fiction.”
PW: “Debut author Hayes deftly balances the thriller elements of her story with resonant coming-of-age moments, and Hindle’s eerie b&w cartoons tweak the suspense further. Filled with spooky events and featuring a truly devious villain, the book will have readers racing to solve the mystery, though some may need to sleep with the lights on afterward.”
Charlie Holmberg. Followed by Frost. 47North, Sept. 22. YA fantasy. “After 17-year-old Smitha is cursed to be as cold as her heart, Death himself offers her a chance for relief. Unwilling to give up her life, Smitha seeks redemption deep in the savage deserts, where her perpetual winter dares to make her a hero.”
Mindy, LDSWBR: 5 stars. “At first, Smitha is a very hard character to care about. She is very vain and selfish, but her journey of self-discovery and forgiveness is amazing. I love the way the story is told, Smitha is telling the story, but also shares with the reader what she should have noticed, or should have done in a situation. I really enjoyed her journey in the Southlands, the people are in a drought and her snow is much needed . . . I loved how Smitha finds purpose there with her frosty life and possibly hope. Fantastic story that reads quickly and the ending is so well done. I loved every page of this book!”
Karlene Browning, Book Geek Reviews:: 5 stars. “I totally loved this book! It may very well make my Top 10 of 2015 list . . . The plot was interesting, and while I knew from the moment Smitha was cursed how it would most likely end, the journey was absolutely worth it. The pace of the story is slower than most modern YA literature, but the descriptive language puts you right there in the story with Smitha. I could see the wonders of the desert city, smell and taste the foreign spices, and most of all, feel the freezing wind and snow that constantly surrounded her. The writing was beautiful, lyrical−the type of writing that weaves a spell around you and traps you securely in the imagery. The narrative voice is similar to Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow by Jessica Day George and Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale, both of which I loved dearly.”
Carla Kelly. Paloma and the Horse Traders. Camel Press, July 30. Historical romance. Spanish Brand #3. Set in New Mexico in the late 1700s, amidst the frictions between Kwahadi Comanches and the settlers of the Spanish Colony.
Romantic Historical Reviews: 5 stars. “Once again, Carla Kelly has kept me up late, reading into the wee hours to finish this book. This is not usually a time and place that I like to read about, but I am totally captivated by this series. Marco and Paloma have formed such a strong love, that it’s breathtaking. The descriptions of the characters and places are vivid. The plot is riveting and the action is exciting. I am totally invested in this couple, and I’m thrilled to hear that there is at least one more book coming in the series. I would recommend reading the first two books of this series to get the maximum enjoyment. Paloma and the Horse Traders is pure artistry and a sheer delight. I give it my highest recommendation.”
Jennifer Moore. Simply Anna. Covenant, Sept. 5. Regency romance. Jamaican sugar plantation. Slaves and pirates also play a role.
PW: “In this shallow but charming sequel to Becoming Lady Lockwood, set in a vague approximation of the Regency era, a lovely young woman with a mysterious past loses her heart to the young English nobleman who saves her life. Lord Philip Hamilton is newly arrived in Jamaica, trying hard to establish himself in the unfamiliar, harsh world of sugar cane and slave labor. Gently born but impoverished Anna is traveling by ship as a lady’s maid when she falls overboard and is swept ashore, more dead than alive. Lord Philip finds and brings her home to be nursed on his estate, with only a necklace inscribed with Anna as a clue to her identity. Restored to physical health but still amnesic, Anna becomes an essential part of Philip’s household, as a brutal former overseer threatens their happiness and safety. Anna yearns for a fresh start with Philip, but once she regains her knowledge of her lowly status, she fears that marrying her would destroy Philip socially. Their romance is refreshingly based on mutual respect and shared interests, including an anachronistic but appealing condemnation of slavery, but it lacks the wit and sizzle that many Regency readers hope for.”
Bloggin’ ‘bout Books: B. “Although I don’t read a lot of Regency romances, it’s a genre I can always count on for light, pleasurable reading between darker, heavier fare. Slipping into a glittering fantasy world of elegant dances, frivolous gossip, and genteel flirtation is just fun, you know? Jennifer Moore‘s novels offer all this—and more. Going beyond the typical banter and ball gowns, she explores meatier issues (like PTSD in Lady Emma’s Campaign) which give her romances an atypical depth. Simply Anna, Moore’s newest, is no exception. While the author makes a real effort to keep the novel light, she addresses a very dark problem: slavery in the West Indies in the 19th Century. Through Malachi, Betty, Ezekiel, and others, Moore shows the cruelty and prejudice slaves often faced as the “property” of greedy sugar barons. This element adds poignancy to a tale that’s already full of heart, humor, and swashbuckling adventure. At its center, though, Simply Anna is a story about two people discovering what’s most important in life. A quick, charming yarn, this one’s too enjoyable to pass up.”
Mindy, LDSWBR: 5 stars. “This book is simply amazing. I was immediately taken into the story and wonderfulness that is Anna herself. I love how she is with people, her knowledge, her kindness, and especially her love for others.”
Jennie Hansen, Meridian Magazine. 5 stars. “Jennifer Moore is quickly proving herself among the top Regency writers. Her new novel, Simply Anna is a spinoff from her best selling Becoming Lady Lockwood. Though set in the Regency period, this novel comes closer to an Historical novel than to the light romance, manners, and balls that generally mark a Regency . . . Moore’s main characters are warm and likable, imbued with positive social consciences. Some may find them overly simplified, but I found characters who instinctively know the difference between right and wrong refreshing. Dialog and actions are in keeping with the time period and the author has researched both the Regency era and the plantation life of the Jamaican islands which were a source of wealth to the English aristocracy who mostly left their management and the day-to-day realities of the slave trade tidily in the hands of agents.”
Kristoffer Neff. Home of the Brave. Walnut Springs, June 22. Suspense. An LDS family’s rebellious son, serving as an Army Ranger, disappears while on a secret mission in Pakistan. His brother thinks he is alive, and travels to Pakistan to find him. Debut novel.
The Glen and Marcia Nelson Collection of Mormon Art. Mormon Artists Group. In 2013, Mormon Artists Group published the 200-page catalog of art owned by Glen and Marcia Nelson. It included 150 objects including paintings, drawings, photography, ceramics, sculpture, textiles, etchings, and artists’ books from the 1860s to the present. It featured original essays and scholarship about the artists, and links to additional online resources. Represented were fine artists who are also in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art, Metropolitan Museum, the Whitney, Art Institute of Chicago, Smithsonian, and many other public institutions. Since then, the Nelsons have continued to acquire works by LDS artists, and today, the second edition is now available.
Kelly Oram. Joni, Underway. Bluefields, Aug. 22. YA. “Joni, a college Freshman, has her world turned upside down when her brother is suddenly killed in a car accident. Struggling to cope with loss, guilt, and anger—not to mention the meddling of friends and family trying to “fix” her—Joni is relieved to be presented with an escape in the form of a sailing trip her brother had been planning for months before he died.”
Janci Patterson. A Thousand Faces. Garden Ninja Books, Aug. 20. YA paranormal thriller. Shape-shifting spies. She wrote Chasing the Skip, and has turned to self-publishing.
Brandon Sanderson (Patterson’s former teacher): “I read it about a year ago, when it was in an early draft, and fell in love with it. Janci has this way of writing teen characters that avoids the stereotypes of the genre. When there are romances, they are messy and authentic. The characters stick with me, get into my head, and I find myself thinking about them even months later. And Janci’s plotting is top-notch. She’s self-publishing this one, after beating her head against New York publishing for a number of years, but the book is as professional as anything I’ve read from a major publisher. If you’re interested in thrillers, teen novels, or just like supporting independent writers of quality and merit, I suggest you take a look at this book.”
Anne Perry. Corridors of the Night. Ballentine, Sept. 15. Victorian mystery. William Monk #21. “Nurse Hester Monk and her husband, William, commander of the Thames River Police, do desperate battle with two obsessed scientists who in the name of healing have turned to homicide.”
PW: “More thriller than mystery, Perry’s melodramatic 21st William Monk Victorian historical focuses on the Thames River policeman’s wife, Hester, a skilled nurse tested in battle during the Crimean War. While filling in for a friend on the night shift at an annex to Greenwich Hospital, Hester encounters a terrified six-year-old girl, Maggie, who pleads with Hester to help her gravely ill seven-year-old brother, Charlie. When Hester sees the slight lad, she’s shocked by his condition and pessimistic about his chances of survival. Her efforts to rehydrate Charlie buy him some time, but her knowledge that a doctor has been routinely drawing blood from him, Maggie, and their four-year-old brother, Mike, places her liberty and her life in jeopardy. The identity of the person behind the blood-letting is no secret, and a logic flaw undermines the serious moral debate that’s at the heart of this lesser effort.”
Jolene Perry. Has To Be Love. AW Teen, Sept. 1. YA contemporary. An Alaskan Mormon high school senior, a survivor of a vicious bear attack, is getting second thoughts after being accepted to Columbia University.
Kirkus: “A Mormon high school senior in small-town Alaska struggles with scars—both internal and external. After a vicious encounter with a bear, Clara Fielding is forced not only to go through life bearing significant facial scars, but to do so without the comfort of her supportive mother, who died in the attack. Happily, Clara’s facial disfigurement doesn’t slow down her romantic life or her personal aspirations, but she assumes that her choices are all or nothing: the known or the unknown, early marriage or relationship adventures, her religious principles or her emerging passions, small-town life or big-city opportunities, local ambitions or her dream of becoming a serious writer. Eventually, Clara discovers that her options can be more nuanced than she realized. Further, after multiple experiences of others’ responses to her marred face, Clara learns that her own reaction to their reactions is what’s most important, along with her own survival. This is a poignant coming-of-age tale in which Perry’s exploration of Clara’s daily dealings with deformity and grief is sensitive and illuminating. However, Clara’s inner thoughts on a range of subjects feel repetitious and heavy-handed as part of her present-tense narration. Still, readers navigating similar dilemmas may appreciate Clara’s heartfelt angst. Breathtakingly earnest emotions packaged in a contrived narration.”
J. Scott Savage. Curse of the Mummy’s Uncle: Case File 13 #4. HarperCollins, June 23. Middle Grade fantasy/adventure.
Tyler Whitesides. Heroes of the Dustbin. Shadow Mountain, Sept. 8. Janitors #5. Conclusion of the series.
Carol Lynch Williams. Never Said. Blink/Zondervan, Aug. 25. YA contemporary. “Fifteen-year-old fraternal twins Annie and Sarah are sisters, but that is where their interaction ends. Then Annie begins to withdraw from the family, forcing Sarah to investigate why-and the abuse she uncovers changes their relationship forever . . . When Sarah learns, through gentle questioning, that a neighbor and very good family friend has been sexually abusing her sister, she knows she must act, and help the sister who seemingly always had it all. Told in alternating points of view, one in poetry, one in prose.” The book is published by Blink, and imprint of the Christian publisher Zondervan, which is a division of Harper Collins. Blink is an imprint designed for the general trade, not specifically the Christian market (although the books are sold in Christian bookstores). “These would be no different from other YA titles published by HarperCollins. They are for anyone, regardless of faith. These will be hopeful books. We won’t go as dark [as some other YA novels], but we will touch on very real issues” while striving for a “positive balance and approach” and “[representing] morals and ethical standards.”
School Library Journal interview with Williams about the book.
Drunk on Pop: “I was able to get through Never Said very quickly. I don’t typically enjoy dual perspective books, as evidenced by countless reviews on here, but this one fit together really nicely. I loved that it alternated between prose and poetry. Carol Lynch Williams wrote beautifully, and I would definitely read more from this author. I felt like the character development was on point, and each of the characters felt genuine. There were still a few issues for me, though. I felt like the actual content of the story was really unoriginal, and actually quite problematic. The “twist”, or reason for one twin to start gaining weight was really obvious . . . Then, all of a sudden, parents that were so awful to her throughout the entire book are suddenly supportive and wonderful and everything wraps up very nicely with a bow. The actual book was very well written, and I enjoyed reading it, but I feel like if you’re going to write angst you need to see it all the way through.”
Remembrancy. “Let me just say this…Wow!! What an emotionally charged book. While this book is not overtly Christian (there is no mention of anyone in the family having a relationship with God or even going to church but there is one passing mention of Christ), it is an excellent study on strained relationships. Familial relationship, friendship, romantic relationship, and academic relationship are all included. As Sarah spends time with Annie, she begins to learn her vibrant, outspoken sister is hurting too. She finds the desire and courage to protect and defend her sister, to stand up for injustices done to her. The guilt from not knowing pressures her—shouldn’t twins feel when something is wrong? With narrative told from Sarah’s perspective and poetic diary entries from Annie, the whole story is slowly revealed to the reader, leaving them torn open and hurting with both of these sisters by the end. I highly recommend this book for anyone struggling with sibling relationships and for any teenagers struggling to find their place in the school hierarchy. I also recommend you read it with a box of tissues near.”
Jamie Robyn Wood. Bearskin. Sweetwater/Cedar Fort, Sept. 8. Fairy tale fantasy/YA romance. Debut.
Jackie Harris: “Bearskin will have great appeal to fans of fairy tales, children’s and young adult literature, and the fantasy genre. Jamie’s writing is both beautifully descriptive, detailed, and eloquent, capturing the voice of the fairy tale genre. She finely interweaves the narratives and keeps readers guessing what will happen next.”
Rachel Chipman, Deseret News: “This stand-alone fairy tale breathes life into the fantasy young adult genre. Wood uses lyrical prose and well-crafted lush imagery. The characters are three dimensional and fascinating. There are echoes of the Grimm brothers’ fairy tales.”
Reviews of older books
Michelle Ashman Bell. Extreme Measures (Tequitia Andrews, Deseret News). “A light, suspenseful read. The characters and the plot could use a little more fleshing out. Emma is characterized as being “too nice” but actually is gullible and foolish, making it hard for the reader to relate. Without giving away too much, some of the details surrounding the kidnapping plot do not ring believable, and the story needs more details to make it interesting. Although titled “Extreme Measures,” there wasn’t enough intensity to support it.”
Carys Bray. A Song for Issy Bradley (Shelah Books It) 4 stars. “I feel pretty conflicted about A Song for Issy Bradley. The story is gripping, and Issy’s death definitely hooks the reader into wanting to read more. Bray does a lovely job with the pacing, and I appreciated seeing multiple perspectives throughout the story. However, the adult Mormon characters, which the exception of Claire, all feel like caricatures. There’s Ian, whose singular focus on living the letter of the law often results in completely ignoring the spirit of the law and making the people in his family resentful. The stake president, who isn’t as ardent as Ian, comes off as a hypocrite. The members of the ward seem either needy or nuts. It’s no wonder the family is in a state of spiritual crisis. These aren’t the Mormons I know– the Mormons I know, for the most part, are complicated and genuinely trying to do their best, but aren’t nearly as inflexible as Bray presents them in the novel. While I really liked the story (and loved the ending), and strongly identified with Claire’s character, ultimately I felt that Bray spent too much time grinding her ax to write with nuance.”
Lisa Valentine Clark. Real Moms: Making it Up as We Go Along (Shelah Books It) 3 stars. “Lisa is still adorable, smart, and funny. The things she has to say in Real Moms about parenting five kids are not putting herself in the position of a parenting expert, but as someone trying to draw lessons from real life. It was a fine, fun read, as long as the reader isn’t expecting to be more than entertained. The book is pretty short and I enjoyed it while I was reading it, but several weeks later, I barely remember anything other than that there are plenty of ways to be a good mom, that motherhood requires improvisation, that moms shouldn’t lose themselves to their kids, and that hard work is more important than natural smarts.”
Krista Van Dolzer. The Sound of Life and Everything (Rosalyn Evers) 5 stars. “This story is a powerful, heart-warming exploration of prejudice, love, and family in post WWII California . . . Although the science in the book is a little far-fetched and the premise might lead you to expect a more science-fictiony adventure story, the story is really a touching look at friendship, as the boy (Takuma) becomes Ella Mae’s best friend, and Ella Mae struggles to understand how his presence can unleash so much turmoil and hatred in her small town, even in her family. But I loved how fiercely Ella Mae and her mother fought for him, and for doing the right thing. A terrific look at a historical era and a great jumping point for discussions about prejudice and friendship.”
Colleen Houck. Reawakened (Hikari Loftus, Deseret News). Feature story.
Moriah Jovan. Paso Doble (Theric). 4 stars. “As with all the Dunham books, the lead characters are enormous, godlike figures who tower over the landscape . . . Although simple on the surface, this is one of Jovan’s best works. It’s look at modern sexual politics admits truths and looks in corners most people prefer to snigger at.”
Josi Kilpack. Lemon Tart (FoxyJ). “I enjoyed this book and thought it was really well-written–in fact, reading it after some of the later books confirmed my impression of some of those books as being a little less polished than others. This book has solid writing, interesting character development, and a plot with many twists and turns that I didn’t see coming. It also establishes a lot about Sadie’s family that I ended up missing in later books because I didn’t have the foundation of the first one. I think I should go get the next few books to catch myself up and complete the series.”
Wanda Luce. In the Wilds of Devon (Jennie Hansen, Meridian Magazine) 4 stars. “Luce writes in a warm comfortable style. Her characters feel real and the reader can readily identify with them. It’s a nice twist to turn a regency into a mystery while staying convincingly within the mores of the regency time period.”
Kelly Nelson. Love’s Deception (Mindy, LDSWBR) 4 stars. “I really enjoyed this story of loss, love, misunderstanding, hope and forgiveness.”
Jennifer A. Nielsen. A Night Divided (Emily Ellsworth, Deseret News). “A Night Divided is interesting in spite of some confusing decisions by Gerta and her mother, as well as some pacing issues. While the beginning of the narrative outlines the trouble in East Germany, especially with food scarcity and nosy neighbors, much of the rest of the novel is dedicated to the escape. The ending in particular had some moments that didn’t feel natural or felt a bit contrived to increase tension.”
Scott R. Parkin and Amy M. Hughes. Writers of the Future #31 (Tangent). “”Purposes Made for Alien Minds” by Scott R. Parkin is based on an interesting experiment: it’s told by a cyborg who can only speak in five-word sentences. The human race is caught in a war with aliens, and need to understand their motives. Ric slowly begins to learn about them. While the experimentation is interesting, it gets in the way of the story and I was too aware of the five-word limit to be able to get involved with the plot.
It’s more dystopia in Amy M. Hughes‘s “The Graver.” Daniel is the widowed father of teenage daughter Emma, trying to survive on a farm in a world where gravers literally take the memories of the dead as a way to get high. Emma chafes under her father’s attempts at protection, wanting to go out with her boyfriend, but that puts her straight in the gravers’ path. The story is well written and Daniel overcoming his pain is a major part of it.”
Steven L. Peck. The Rifts of Rime (Michael Austin). 5 stars. “What do you get when you cross Watership Down with The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich and throw in a generous helping of Jonathan Livingston Seagull? Who knows? What a stupid question. However, if you combined these elements in just the right proportions, you might end up with something vaguely resembling Steven Peck’s marvellous young-adult novel, The Rifts of Rime. Like all great YA fiction, The Rifts of Rime operates on several levels at once. On its surface, it is a great adventure tale set in a mythical land (there are hints that it is a post-human version of earth) where five species–grey squirrels, wolves, ants, marmots, and another species of squirrel known as “The Folk”–have been “quickened,” or raised to sentience, by a divine creature or group of creatures known as “The Wealdend.” . . . But what I love the most about The Rifts of Rime is that, along with being a great adventure story and a powerful political allegory, it is also a wonderful exploration of the power of words. In the world that Peck creates, poetry matters–a lot. (In fact, he creates an entirely new set of rules for poetry and writes more than a dozen poems according to these rules). One of the major heroes of the story is a poet who sets the entire plot in motion by creating, and reading, a poem. This is a world in which literature has power to shake thrones and topple empires . . . But here’s the thing: you don’t need to have a Ph.D. in political theory to read and love The Rifts of Rime. It is a wonderful heroic tale in its own right. But the deeper elements are there if you want them. It is a book that you can read with your children secure in the knowledge that they will get something good out of the transaction and you will get something even better.”
Steven L. Peck. Wantering Realities. Doug Gibson, Standard-Examiner. ““Wandering Realities” contains the elite of short Mormon fiction. Besides great tales, it enriches the reader with a diverse look at Mormon culture and sentiments.”
Heather Young. Ezra and Hadassah, a Portrait of American Royalty (Jaymie Reynolds, AML). “In spite of small discomforts and inherently painful topic matter, taken as a whole, Young’s memoir is both well-written and is smoothly read. Perhaps what makes Young’s offering so valuable to readers is the triumph that is found in the ashes of many fiery challenges. These pages are riddled with sorrow and pain and still manage to convey hope and pull readers along to a place of peace and victory. As one who picked up this book with some hesitation, I would not hesitate to recommend that Young’s tale be added to the field where advocacy and change grow. Ezra and Hadassah is not an easy read, but it is a positive one.”
Film
‘Once I Was a Beehive’ Gets National Release. Main Dog Productions’ faith-based family comedy “Once I Was a Beehive” has been set for a nationwide release next month by Purdie Distribution, Variety has learned exclusively. Main Dog, led by director-producer Maclain Nelson, has also signed a deal with Samuel Goldwyn Films for digital and streaming later this year.
Purdie will show the film in 40 markets and on over 200 screens, with bookings set for Los Angeles, Seattle, New York, Portland, Las Vegas, Chicago, Austin, Houston and Phoenix.
Currently the film continues to play in Utah theaters, as well as theaters in Mormon-heavy areas of Arizona, Hawaii, Idaho, and Wyoming. The film made $59,000 in its first weekend.
Reviews: Jessie, Segullah. “This reciprocal respect is one of the biggest strengths of the film—too many Mormon films and books set up a false dichotomy between members and non-members, and too many require conversion of the non-members as a requirement for a happy ending. This movie doesn’t take that easy way out, and it’s much stronger for it. Not only that, but it’s really funny. The jokes are probably funnier if you’ve spent any time working with Mormon youth, but you’ll still laugh even if you haven’t. Would I recommend seeing Once I Was a Beehive? Emphatically yes—movies are expensive, but I believe in voting with my dollars for the kind of entertainment that the world needs more of. The world needs more movies about Mormons that are complex, thoughtful, and sincere. Also, there are so few movies written by and acted in by women; we need more movies like this where the women (both young and some old) are the characters who drive the action and who save each other.”
Matt Daniels, Daily Herald. “A true and considerate look into faith, loss and acceptance, “Once I Was a Beehive,” written and directed by Maclain Nelson, doesn’t reach for the stars and makes no false accusations about attempts at converting people to Mormonism or Christianity. Instead, “Beehive” tells a campfire tale that, if nothing else, makes a person feel good, and that is a rare thing to see in movies these days.”
Kerry Lengel, Arizona Republic. 2.5 stars. “The acting is pretty good compared with some of the clumsy hamming you see in a lot of low-budget faith films. But the writing can be downright clunky, from the overused narration (“There was something special about that morning”) to the painfully obvious use of foreshadowing (when the rangers explain the difference between black bears and grizzlies, you just know that knowledge is going to get put to good use). In short, “Once I Was a Beehive” is not a movie that’s apt to impress grumpy critics. But then they aren’t the target audience. That would be teenage Mormon girls — and their moms, although maybe not so much their brothers and dads. Like all faith-based films, it’s preaching to the choir. But as cinematic sins go, Hollywood regularly commits worse.”
Two Utah screenings of Greg Whiteley’s documentary film Most Likely to Succeed are occurring this week. Each screening will be followed by a Q&A with film director Greg Whiteley.
Tuesday, September 22, 6:30 PM, Ragan Theater, UVU, Orem
Wednesday, September 23, 6:30 PM, Megaplex Theatres Gateway, 165 South Rio Grande Street Salt Lake City, UT
“Please join Film Director Greg Whiteley and Executive Producer Ted Dintersmith for special screenings of Most Likely To Succeed. The feature-length documentary Most Likely To Succeed examines the history of education in the United States, revealing the growing shortcomings of conventional education methods in today’s innovative world. The film explores compelling new approaches that aim to revolutionize teaching as we know it. After seeing this film, the way you think about “school” will never be the same. 88 minutes.”
Scott Christopherson and Brad Barber’s documentary Peace Officer is on a screenings tour.
Hollywood Reporter: “A powerful and important film about policing tactics that have crept into everyday use with little scrutiny, Peace Officer makes its case effectively enough to move even the staunchest law-and-order civilians. In a remarkably assured debut doc, directors Brad Barber and Scott Christopherson find a lead character who would seem the unlikeliest crusader against “homicides” committed by militarized police forces. In doing so, they make the most of his hugely sympathetic story while offering just enough of the broader picture to ensure we understand how universal his complaints are. Adding significant arguments to conversations that have reached the mainstream in the wake of Ferguson’s crisis, the doc has theatrical-release value and should command attention afterward on small screens.”
Film Journal: “A former sheriff who created the SWAT team that eventually contributed to the death of a family member uncovers evidence of incompetence or cover-up in this well-balanced and engrossing look at the increasing militarization of police.”
Marshall and the Movies: B+. ““Peace Officer” is hopefull the closest thing the United States could ever produce to an equivalent of “The Act of Killing,” Joshua Oppenheimer’s frightening documentary exposé on the effects of impunity in Indonesian society. But if we continue on our current course, future films will make it look tame by comparison.”
Newsweek article on the movie and the social issues it brings up.
Filmmaker interview with Christopherson and Barber. WNYC interview.
The Scorch Trials, the sequel to The Maze Runner, topped the box office in its first week in the United States. It made $30.3 million, nearly as much as The Maze Runner, which made $32.5 million in its first week. The films are based on the novels by James Dashner.
Theater
Water Sings Blue is a new play, based on poetry from a children’s picture book by Kate Coombs, adapted and directed by Teresa Dayley Love. To be performed by the BYU Young Company–Theatre For Young Audiences, Sept. 25-Oct. 10. Margetts Theatre, Provo. This “highly interactive show” involves audience participation and the art of visual comedy. Here are two articles by Spencer Duncan, the dramaturg.
Jeffery Lee Blake. Night of the Monster. Echo Theatre, Provo. Oct. 5-17. “It’s “Noises Off” meets “And Then There Were None” with the worst parts of “Twilight” thrown in for laughs. In “Night of the Monster” Hollywood descends on the small town of Maiden Hills, California to create the next great werewolf movie. Meanwhile screenwriter Henry Rhodes Wilson may be suffering a mental breakdown as he keeps getting visits from famed Gothic writer Lazlo Reinhardt, despite the fact that he’s been dead for 100 years. Henry will try to keep it together, even as the cast and crew of the film get bumped off one by one. ”
BYU professors Wade J. Hollingshaus and Megan Sanborn Jones each received an Alcuin Fellowship this year. The award recognizes outstanding teacher-scholars whose work at the university transcends the limits of their disciplines and who have made significant contributions to the general education and honors curriculums.
Sackerson, a new Salt Lake City theater company, presents “Before the Beep,” a new “dial-a-scene” play, by Morag Shepherd, that unfold in 30 acts or about 25 minutes over 30 days, beginning in September. Alex Ungerman, Dan Whiting and Dave Mortensen are co-producers of Sackerson. Christopher Clark is performing in this play, and will direct the next Sackerson play.
Bestsellers
Sept. 6, 13, 20, 27
Christine Feehan. Dark Ghost
USA Today: x, x, #9, #71 (2 weeks)
PW Hardcover: x, x, #10, #16 (2 weeks). 10,906, 4764 units. 15,670 total.
NYT Hardcover: x, x, #11, x (1 week)
NYT Ebook: x, x, #5, x (1 week)
NYT Overall (Print + ebook); x, x, #9, x (1 week)
James Dashner. The Maze Runner
USA Today: #55, #48, #80, #78 (93 weeks)
NYT Children’s Series: #1, #1, #3, #1 (153 weeks)
James Dashner. The Scorch Trials
USA Today: #88, #47, #56, #43 (76 weeks)
PW Children’s : #10, ?, #11, #12 (6 weeks). 4406, 5900, 4909, 4695 units. 26,189 total.
James Dashner. The Death Cure
USA Today: #145, #89, #126, #107 (69 weeks)
Shannon Hale and Dean Hale. The Princess in Black
NYT Middle Grade Paperback: #9, #9, #6, #9 (5 weeks)
Anne Perry. A Breach of Promise
USA Today: x, #133, x, x (1 week) (William Monk #9, 1997, I am not sure why this older novel showed up on the list.)
Orson Scott Card, Ender’s Game
PW SF: #7, #8
Colleen Houck. Reawakened
Fell off the NYT YA Hardcover list after one week.