This Month in Mormon Literature, Aug. 27, 2016

Deseret Book publishes its first book depicting a Heavenly Mother. An independent film based on Dan Wells’ I am Not a Serial Killer opens in theaters and VOD, and Greg Whiteley’s documentary Last Chance U began streaming on Netflix. A new Matthew Greene play, Gregorian, opens in NYC. Nancy Campbell Allen, Orson Scott Card and Aaron Johnson, Jennifer A. Nielsen, Janette Rallison, and Kasie West have published new novels, and Loki Mulholland and Angela Fairwell a picture book, to strong reviews. A new genre publishing house has appeared in Salt Lake City. The second LDS Publishing Professionals Conference is coming up. Please send news and corrections to mormonlit AT gmail DOT com.

News and blog posts

Immortal Works is a new publishing house that has been created in Salt Lake City. Their website says, “We are a full-service small press that specializes is genre fiction for those looking for an enthralling tale, but don’t want to have to worry about graphic violence, obscene language, or pornographic content. That doesn’t mean our titles don’t have dark villains, irreverent humor, or thrilling romance. It just means that you don’t have to hide our books from your mom, wife, and bishop. Immortal Works publishes mainstream genre fiction in print, as eBooks, and every one of our titles will be available on Audible!” Stoney Beckstead is the CEO, Jason King the Managing Editor, Adam Boswell the Director of Sales/Marketing, and James Wymore the Acquisitions Editor.

Deseret Book Will Publish Their First Book Depicting a Heavenly Mother (LDS.net). “In the new children’s book, Our Heavenly Family, Our Earthly Families, authors McArthur Krishna and Bethany Brady Spalding team up again to represent how earthly families follow an eternal family template, which includes a Mother in Heaven. For the first time in the history of Deseret Book publishing, a publication will include a depiction of our Heavenly Mother. Not only will the children’s book explain about both of our Heavenly Parents, but the cover of the book will also include an artist’s rendering of our Heavenly Father and Mother together. With Caitlin Connolly as the illustrator, McArthur Krishna and Bethany Brady Spalding create a clear vision of how earthly families are patterned after our Heavenly Family. Krishna and Spalding previously wrote Girls Who Choose God: Stories of Courageous Women from the Bible and Girls Who Choose God: Stories of Strong Women from the Book of Mormon.”

The second annual LDS Publishing Professionals Conference will be held on September 23–24, 2016, at the BYU Conference Center. Panels include an inspirational opener by speaker and author Brad Wilcox, a keynote address by author Brandon Mull, practical writing tips by writers from Church magazines and BYU Magazine, a workshop by writer David Doering, a founder of the conference Life, the Universe, & Everything and the BYU student journal Leading Edge, a lunch to munch and mingle with publishers such as Deseret Book, Gibbs Smith, Berrett-Koehler, Covenant, Cedar Fort, and Jolly Fish, and a presentation by the CEO of Berrett-Koehler, Steve Piersanti, on “The Ten Awful Truths about Book Publishing—and What to Do about Them”. See the full schedule.

Expert witnesses are disclosed in Rachel Ann Nunes’ copyright infringement case against an accused plagiarizer. Those testifying for Nunes will be Bruce Webster, a computer forensics expert (and contributor to Interpreter: A Journal of Mormon Scripture), Scott Bosworth, an economist, and the authors Josi Kilpack and Heather Moore.

The Salt Lake City Weekly announced nominations for its upcoming Best of Utah Arts 2016 readers choice awards. Among the plays nominated are Eric Samuelsen’s The Kreutzer Sonata [Plan-B Theatre Company] and Javen Tanner’s Sleeping Beauty’s Dream [Sting & Honey]. Among the books are Dream House on Golan Drive, by David Pace, Summerlost, by Ally Condie (fiction), All Better Now, by Emily Wing Smith (non-fiction), Flicker, by Lisa Bickmore (poetry), and The Princess in Black series, by Shannon Hale, Dean Hale & LeUyen Pham (illustrated book, graphic novel).

The winners of the 2016 Sunstone Fiction Contest are: 1st place: “Into the River,” by Larry Menlove. A Flannery O’Connor-esque tale of two missionaries who meet different fates in a river. 2nd place: “The Dead Are All Around Us,” by Luisa Perkins. A teen girl is either being haunted by a ghost or ministered to by an angel. 3rd place: “The Thicket,” by Bradeigh Godfrey. The friendship of a girl and boy on the cusp of adolescence is fractured by a murder.

“Three writers find literary inspiration in Utah history”. Salt Lake Tribune feature on Utah writers Ella Joy Olsen, Alison McLennan and Julie J. Nichols.

Children’s book author Kristyn Crow tells aspiring writers ‘creativity takes courage’ at BYU symposium on Books for Young Readers.

Eric Samuelsen. “Why I Stay”. Sunstone symposium talk.

Terry Tempest Williams finds her way home — park by park by park. Feature story on Williams, including her activism and her writing, in the Salt Lake Tribune.

Short stories and poetry

Katherine Cowley. “The Last Bathroom.” Defenestration.

Spencer Hyde. “Light as Wings”. Glimmer Train. Fall 2016, #97. The story won First Place in the Glimmer Train Very Short Fiction Award.

David Farland. “Barbarians”. In the anthology Fiction River Presents: Darker Realms. Farland’s story is a Runelords prequel.

Larry Menlove. “She Kept His Finger in a Spare Coin Pouch in Her Purse”. Corium Magazine. Summer 2016, #23.

Karen Kelsay has started a new poetry journal, The Orchards. It includes a translation by Kimberly Johnson.

The Helicon West Anthology: A Ten-Year Celebration of Featured Readers July 29, 2016. This literary collection of creative writing includes writers who have shared their work at Helicon West, Logan Utah’s premier featured readers/open readings series, from 2006 to 2016. It includes works by Kimberley Johnson, Lance Larsen, and Stephen Tuttle.

New books and their reviews

Nancy Campbell Allen. Beauty and the Clockwork Beast. Shadow Mountain, Aug. 2. Gothic steampunk romance. Proper Romance series. “Jane Eyre meets Beauty and the Beast.”

PW (Starred review): “Allen jumps gracefully on to the supernatural Victorian bandwagon, keeping both the romance and the gore PG-rated in a steampunk setting. Her tale seamlessly combines family politics, ballroom dancing, and romantic swooning with airships, ray guns, and automatons, as well as scientifically verified vampires and werewolves. Lucy Pickett, whose research on ways to counter vampires is a priority for the Botanical Aid Society of London, visits Blackwell Manor to find a remedy for her cousin Kate, who’s usually “healthy as an ox” but has been taken ill since moving there with her new husband, the brother of the Earl of Blackwell. When the ghost of Marie, the late sister of the secretive earl, tries to communicate with Lucy, the earl takes her under his protection and his scrutiny. She’s terrified by the scar across his face and the rumors that he killed both Marie and his young wife, and yet Lucy finds him to be a kind confidant and an appealing suitor. Allen’s imagining of “Beauty and the Beast” as a supernatural period murder mystery is delightful at every turn.”

Kirkus: “An updated fairy tale in steampunk England mixes old-school gothic and new-school paranormal. This new genre-blending offering has a promising start, with heroine Lucy Pickett arriving at suitably menacing Blackwell Manor to figure out what ails her cousin Kate . . . While the beast struggles to resist his desire for the beauty, she has to confront ghosts, automatons gone rogue, obnoxious relatives, surly staff, vampires, and Miles’ faulty ticker—actual and metaphorical. This roster of problems would tax the hardiest of heroines, but when she starts to wander into darkened spaces and confront all manner of humans, machines, and creatures of the night, the most stalwart reader may develop steampunk-gothic-fairy-tale-paranormal fatigue. The urge to yell “Don’t go there!” may also be hard to resist. There is a standard traumatic back story for the titular beast, a soap opera-worthy exhumation scene, and, finally, a dramatic unmasking of the obvious villain, but the story has already run out of steam by then.”

Mindy Holt, LDSWBR. 5 stars. “I absolutely loved this book. Every page was a delight. I loved Miles’ and Lucy’s gradual relationship. I appreciated how Lucy held her own with the intimidating Miles. As they would get to know each other, I loved some of the tender moments that they shared. Actually, I loved all of them. Especially their dance in the ballroom and their time at the lodge. There is so many awesome goings on in this book too: curses, vampires, werewolves, and all of the steampunk/gothic stuff was so fun! . . . I’m hoping for some more books with these wonderful characters”

Laura Andersen. The Virgin’s War. Random House, July 12. Alternative History. Tudor Legacy #3. Final book in a series that imagines that Elizabeth I married Phillip II of Spain, and their daughter becomes a central player in European politics.

Amber Argyle. Of Sand and Storm. Starling Publishing, Aug. 1. YA fantasy. Fairy Queens #5.

Rebecca Belliston. The Pursuit. Self, Aug. 15. Science fiction/dystopia. Citizens of Logan Pond #3. “Six years ago, with the financial collapse of her country and the death of her parents, Carrie Ashworth swore to protect her siblings. She has fought to build a life for them in her illegal clan. Now home and recovering from a government-spread virus, she’s ready to pursue a little happiness of her own . . . In this battle for siblings and friends, for homes lost and freedoms stolen, the citizens must ask: How far would you go to pursue happiness?”

C. David Belt. The Sweet Sister. Bentley Enterprises, July 29. Paranormal.

Orson Scott Card and Aaron Johnston. The Swarm. Tor, Aug. 2. Science fiction. The Second Formic War #1.

PW: “Card and Johnston continue to flesh out the early years leading up to the events of Ender’s Game with this first installment of the Second Formic War trilogy. Following 2014’s Earth Awakens, humans have beaten back one invasion from the alien Formics and are preparing for the larger onslaught yet to come. A sprawling cast works on numerous fronts to develop the weapons, technology, and tactics to defend Earth, but they’re often stymied by bureaucracy, corruption, and self-serving, ambitious leaders. The real mystery, however, is what exactly the Formics are attempting to accomplish in the asteroid belt, and whether humankind’s best and brightest, including Mazer Rackham and Victor Delgado, can figure it out in time. The authors carefully construct their story on a solar system–wide scale, the numerous plot threads unspooling at a leisurely speed while still maintaining tension. Despite this being a military piece at heart, the action is often overshadowed by long explorations of scientific developments, discussions of morality and philosophy, and bureaucratic obstructions, such as Mazer’s court-martial at the hands of a hostile superior officer. It’s a solid continuation of the ongoing epic, moving all the pieces into place for the next entry.”

Kirkus: “A second prequel trilogy to the child-warrior Ender’s Game series opens. This time the invading alien Formics get serious . . . It’s a situation that fascinates, certainly, but so would any plausible existential threat. The narrative—far too much bureaucratic and domestic padding interspersed with far too infrequent, though sensational, action sequences—unfolds chiefly through the viewpoints of the same leading characters of the first trilogy . . . The auctorial voice with its militaristic edge veers unpleasantly close to propaganda. Trading heavily for verisimilitude on material established years ago by Card but just about worthwhile for series fans.”

Michaelbrent Collings. The Longest Con. Self, Aug. 6. Supernatural mystery. Set at a fiction/comics convention, it imagines the author, Larry Correia. Kevin J. Anderson. D.J. Butler. Orson Scott Card. Mercedes Yardley, and others in a murder mystery.

Michael Collings. “In the world of fandom . . . the idea of a FanFamFunComCon seems perhaps a bit less far-fetched, so it is perfectly acceptable for that to be the venue at which Michaelbrent must solve an eerie, gruesome, and entirely inexplicable murder. Yes, Michaelbrent must solve it. He is the main character in the novel. But he has some excellent helpers: Larry Correia, arms expert extraordinaire, New York Times bestselling horror/fantasy novelist, and “International Lord of Hate”; Blake Casselman, who in our world is one of the organizers of the Salt Lake Comic Con; Dave Butler, a brilliant writer and equally brilliant gentleman; Mercedes Yardley, gracious and also a superlative writer; and, when things get truly sticky (as in bloody, more times than not), appearances by Kevin J. Anderson and Orson Scott Card . . . The Longest Con is long, fast-paced, funny (ranging from that’s funny? to funny-ha-ha to I can’t believe he actually said that!), pun-filled, and thoroughly affectionate glimpse into Michaelbrent’s World of cons, the people he knows there (who all agreed to become fictional characters for the duration, including his mother and his father—me), the real and unreal complications that come from trying to make a living as a horror writer.”

Larry Correia and John Ringo. Monster Hunter Memoirs: Grunge. Baen, Aug. 2. Fantasy adventure. First in a new series of Monster Hunter novels, written by Ringo, and set in the 1980s.

MySF Reviews. 4.5 stars.

Tracy Hickman and Margaret Weis. Doom of the Dragon. Tor, Jan. 5. Fantasy. Dragonships of Vindras #4.

Tracy Hickman and Richard Garriott. The Sword of Midras. Tor, June 21. Fantasy. Blade of the Avatar #1. Based on the award-winning role-playing game, Shroud of the Avatar (Garriott is the game designer).

LJ: “Abandoned by the Avatars during the Fall, the world was thrown into chaos. For the survivors, order was needed, and when the Obsidians appeared, they brought that structure through dark magic, monstrous creatures, and military conquest. Capt. Aren Bennis of the Obsidian Army knows that this war will bring the peace that his people proclaim. Falling into a crypt during battle, Aren finds a sword that his trusted scout claims was used by these legendary Avatars. When the blade is proven to be magical and can only be wielded by him, Aren embarks on a quest to uncover the truth about his path as an Obsidian Guard. VERDICT Written by the author of the “Dragonlance Chronicles” and an award-winning game designer, this prequel to the not-yet-released Shroud of the Avatar online role-playing game (RPG) features Hickman’s classic epic fantasy style and opens the pages of this world’s history to RPG and fantasy enthusiasts alike.”

C. J. Hill (Janette Rallison). Slayers: Playing With Fire. Rally Point Press, Aug. 1. Slayers #3. The first two volumes were published by Macmillan, this third volume is published independently. “Having superpowers is overrated. It requires Tori to go to way more team practices than can comfortably fit into a normal teenager’s schedule. Being a dragon slayer has other drawbacks too—like fighting dragons and keeping one step ahead of power-hungry dragon lords, all without blowing her cover. Tori Hampton is a presidential candidate’s daughter, which means she not only has a public reputation to maintain, she also has a humorless bodyguard to ditch every time she needs to go on a mission.”

Frank Holdaway. Undercover Target. Covenant, Aug. 1. Suspense. Sequel to Undercover Saint. “When Matt Knight left his career as a spy to marry the woman of his dreams, he thought he was in for a life of domestic bliss. But after adopting a baby girl and her teenage brother from China, he finds that being a father comes with its own set of challenges—problems that his work as an antiterrorism agent did nothing to prepare him for. Or so he thought. When a Scout campout with his son takes a terrifying turn, Matt realizes his past and present have just collided, with devastating consequences.”

Michele Paige Holmes. Between Heaven and Earth. Mirror Press, Aug. 1. Contemporary romance. Power of the Matchmaker #8. A wife is devoted to her husband, who has been in a coma for six years. “Pearl, a mysterious visitor at the care center, suggests that it is only Cassie’s love still tying Devon to Earth when he has been ready to move onto Heaven for quite some time. If Cassie will but open her eyes and heart, she will discover the path she should travel, one that will bring relief to Devon and much joy to her own life. But Cassie vowed never to give up on him. She never has and she can’t now, even after meeting hapless, single soccer-dad Matt.”

Colleen Houck. Recreated. Delacorte, Aug. 2. YA fantasy. Reawakened #2.

Kirkus: “The romance between an immortal Egyptian and a modern 17-year-old now ventures into the underworld. In series opener Reawakened, Lily, a white, privileged high schooler, found her life and heart taken over by a reanimated Egyptian mummy, Amon. To save him, Lily must now travel to the mythical netherworld where Amon has hidden himself. It turns out not to be so easy, as she has first to become a sphinx. In order to do this she melds both mind and body with a lioness named Tia. Like legions of protagonists before her, Lily faces countless trials before actually reaching Amon, notably the Cosmic River, where cranky Cherty the ferryman resists carrying her because she’s a living soul. Throughout the journey, Lily experiences dream communications with Amon, so she is fully aware that he is being hunted and tortured in the netherworld. Despite her determination to save Amon, Lily finds herself with a libidinous spilt personality, at least partly courtesy of Tia, as she keeps getting distracted by handsome gods and Amon’s own brother (in a particularly lubricious interlude). The quest unfolds in Lily’s frequently melodramatic voice. Overstuffed ad nauseam with tribulations, the journey is nevertheless anecdotally imaginative, with wonderfully awful creatures such as giant grubs and wasp-esque reapers, and the final battle with the demon Devourer is thrilling. An overlong ramble through Egyptian lore—and it ain’t over yet.”

Elana Johnson. Until Summer Ends. Self, Aug. 9. Contemporary romance. “Sophie Newton is determined to prove herself to her father, who insists she could never run a successful business. She opens a beachside taco stand called The Sandy Tortilla and plans to make her own way, one burrito at a time.”

Kim Karras. Accidentally Me. Sweetwater/Cedar Fort, Aug. 9. Contemporary romance. Debut novel. “WANTED: Pretend stalker. No experience required. Tall, dark, and quirky preferred. Sabrina has been trying to be the perfect child her whole life to convince her parents that she’s more than just an “accident.” Now she is desperate to go to her dream college, but her parents want her to stay close to home. Desperate times call for desperate measures, and Sabrina must team up with an unlikely ally to get what she wants. But she can’t let her parents discover her plan. If she wants to maintain her perfect image, Sabrina must break rules that even her rebel sister keeps.”

Katie W., Goodreads. 5 stars. “What a fun, fun story! Told in first person, I felt like I was right there, experiencing the ups and downs and growing pains of Sabrina’s life . . . There is a smattering of romance in this book, but it’s very mild and the twists and turns are completely unexpected. I was kept on my toes throughout the story, as I never really knew what to anticipate. It is sweet, clean, completely entertaining, and a little zany–but it works in a perfectly satisfying way! This is one author I’ll definitely be keeping an eye on.”

Mindy, LDSWBR. 4 stars. “A funny and an all around great story that young people (and adults) can relate to and enjoy . . . Kim wrote Sabrina very well and I actually laughed out loud a lot. One thing I thought happened too quickly was how much she “liked” a certain character, I felt that happened too fast. I did like what came about of that though, and how that particular relationship changed other relationships Sabrina had for the better . . . A quick read with humor and heart. I look forward to more from this debut author.”

Josi Kilpack. I am Delilah. Mirror Press, June 1. Originally published as Star Struck in 2004.

Lindsey Leavitt. Commander-in-Cheese: The Big Move. July.   Oval Office Escape, #2. Early reader, ages 7-10.

Kirkus: “An all-too-close encounter with the new president’s children and their “c-a-t” nearly spells disaster for two White House mice in this history-laced series opener. Inauguration Day hoopla would seem to provide a perfect opportunity for furry sibs Ava and Dean Squeakerton to root through the newest first family’s unpacked moving boxes in hopes of adding a souvenir Lego to the hoard of presidential memorabilia gathered by the teeming Squeakerton clan over 60 (mouse) generations. But when their mom’s swearing-in doesn’t keep first kids Banks and Macey away long enough for Ava and Dean to make their escape—and worse, the presidential “c-a-t” (mice never say the fearful word) makes an appearance—the resultant scurry sets off a potentially deadly Code Brown. Perhaps noticing the clothes with which Ford dresses his mice in the frequent floor-level black-and-white scenes, Banks and Macey glibly deflect the Secret Service so that the mice can slip away with their lives and also with two prizes: a Lego, yes, but also a coin battery that has long been sought to power a minicamera once owned by Sasha Obama. Leavitt adds plenty of historical flavor with references to White House locations and past residents and closes with photos and more facts plus a presidential portrait gallery. Volume 2, Oval Office Escape, publishes simultaneously. A frisky adventure not at all weighed down by the timely doses of local history folded in.”

SLJ: “The black-and-white illustrations are simple yet not without some charm, adding to the appeal for new readers. The borrowing tendencies of these young mice and their ancestors bring to mind John Peterson’s “The Littles” series, though the writing here is not as polished or as clever as that of Peterson. VERDICT A simply told selection that may interest emerging readers who enjoy animal tales or are interested in the American presidency; an additional purchase for larger chapter book collections.”

Melissa McShane (AKA Melissa Proffitt). Burning Bright. Curiosity Quills Press, Aug. 15. Historical fantasy/romance. “In 1812, Elinor Pembroke wakes to find her bedchamber in flames—and extinguishes them with a thought. At 21, she is old to manifest magical talent, but the evidence is unmistakable: she not only has the ability to start fires, but the far more powerful ability to control and extinguish them. She is an Extraordinary, and the only one in England capable of wielding fire in over one hundred years. As an Extraordinary, she is respected and feared, but to her father, she represents power and prestige for himself. Mr. Pembroke, having spent his life studying magic, is determined to control Elinor and her talent by forcing her to marry where he chooses, a marriage that will produce even more powerful offspring. Trapped between the choices of a loveless marriage or living penniless and dependent on her parents, Elinor takes a third path: she defies tradition and society to join the Royal Navy.”

H. B. (Heather) Moore. Slave Queen. Thomas & Mercer, Aug. 30. Thriller/romance. Omar Zagouri Thriller #3.

Kirkus: “Omar Zagouri must delve into a mystery dating back to the 16th century when he’s targeted by murderous conspirators in Moore’s sequel to Exodus. Omar, an Israel-based special agent, frequently looks into situations involving long-lost archaeological treasures. The prize at the center of this novel is a trove of letters from the Ottoman emperor Suleiman the Magnificent to his favorite wife, Roxelane. Disgruntled antiques shop owner Baris Uzuner hopes to use these letters to prove that Roxelane plotted the death of Suleiman’s eldest son, Mustafa, in order to elevate her own son to the throne. Baris hopes to kill the descendants of Roxelane and restore a monarchy—with himself at the helm as Mustafa’s heir. When Omar, who’s related to Roxelane, is targeted and his mother gravely injured, he sets himself on a mission to thwart Baris’ plans. He soon discovers that Baris isn’t the only person with designs on the letters. With the help of his partner/girlfriend, Mia Golding, linguistics expert Leyla Kaplan, and smuggler Naim Bata, Omar must figure out who’s bankrolling Baris and stop him before it’s too late. Moore does an excellent job of setting the scene of international intrigue, and although this novel is part of a series, it also works well as a stand-alone. The story jumps back and forth between the present and the past as Moore tells the story of Roxelane’s capture by the Turkish army and her subsequent love affair with Suleiman. The past sections are often more compelling than those set in the present, which are a bit predictable but still entertaining. Roxelane is an excellent, strong female character, and Moore brings some obscure players from the Ottoman Empire vividly to life. She even quotes from Suleiman’s actual poetry, using lines such as “My springtime, my merry-faced love, my daytime, my sweetheart” to conjure a complex portrait of this larger-than-life figure. A satisfying historical thriller.”

Loki Mulholland and Angela Fairwell. Illustrated by Charlotta Janssen. She Stood for Freedom: The Untold Story of a Civil Rights Hero, Joan Trumpauer Mulholland. Shadow Mountain, Aug. 2. (Two versions, a children’s picture book and a Grade school reader). Filmmaker Loki Mulholland is Joan Mulholland’s son.

SLJ: “Focusing on Joan Trumpauer Mulholland, a lesser-known civil rights activist, this title is a brief portrait of her life, her actions, and the civil rights movement. From the time she was a child, Mulholland, a white Southerner, came to understand the injustice of “separate but equal,” motivating her to cross the Jim Crow line to stand with African Americans to demand equality. At age 19, she became involved in the Freedom Rides of 1961. She knew the risks and knew she was a marked woman for becoming a “race traitor.” She was harassed, imprisoned, and attacked but still persevered in her activities. Further involvement in the civil rights movement included participating in sit-ins, the March on Washington, and the Selma to Montgomery March. Her unwavering belief in equality gave her tremendous inner strength. Quotes from Mulholland portray her as someone who never thought of herself as a hero, only someone who could make a difference. (“Anyone can make a difference. It doesn’t matter how old or young you are. Find a problem, get some friends together, and fix it.”) Primary source documents and photos and other culturally relevant artifacts accompany the text. Collagelike illustrations that imagine parts of her life (for instance, Mulholland as a child seeing for the first time what a schoolhouse for black children looked like—in contrast to her whites-only school) are peppered throughout, and while eye-catching and mood evoking, they are not as useful as the photographs and other documents. VERDICT Purchase to supplement civil rights and biography materials.” Deseret News feature story.

Kevin L. Nielsen. Skies. Future House, Aug. 18. Fantasy. Sharani Series #3.

Jennifer A. Nielsen. The Scourge. Scholastic, Aug. 30. Middle grade dystopian fantasy.

PW: “Best friends Ani and Weevil are part of a loyal, hardworking community of River People living under the thumb of Governor Felling of Keldan, who denies them voting rights and infringes on their borders. Though they have little, Ani, an only child, and fatherless Weevil are devoted to each other. When Ani and Della, the well-heeled daughter of a prominent Keldan family, are taken to Attic Island after testing positive for the Scourge, a deadly and incurable plague, Weevil joins them. There, Ani finds herself in trouble as she tests the boundaries of the wardens’ powers. As Ani mysteriously gets stronger while Della weakens, she and Weevil discover a band of dissidents who claim to be cured of the Scourge. The dissidents’ belief that River People are “dirty” and “cowards” is overturned as they work with Ani and Weevil to uncover a conspiracy. Nielsen’s polished fantasy smoothly combines medieval elements with hints of mystery and romance. Though the plot is conventional, it delivers a significant message about how misinformation breeds intolerance.”

SLJ: “The characters are well defined and memorable. Feisty Ani, a likable character who is thoughtful and strong, drives the story forward and keeps readers wanting to know more. VERDICT A solid choice for readers who enjoy tales of strong heroines set in the ever-popular dystopian genre”

Kirkus: “Nielsen provides two major plot twists, and both are robust and horrifying in content; however, the method and pace of divulging them are meandering and vague, lacking punch. Characters are stock, and the prose sometimes overexplains, even stretching beyond Ani’s first-person voice to reveal other characters’ emotions. Predictable execution hampers what could have been an intriguing exploration of the mechanics of corruption.”

Bulletin for the Center for Children’s Books. “Readers will almost certainly have it all figured out before the protagonist, but given the fact that she is in mortal peril most of the time, it’s forgivable that she’s a bit slow on the uptake . . . Ani’s willingness to help others, a hard battle in herself as she tries to get over long-held assumptions, demonstrates effectively how emergencies can bridge distances.”

Lehua Parker. One Truth, No Lie. Self, July 21. MG fantasy (Pacific magic realism). The Niuhi Shark Saga #3 conclusion. In a world where the Hawaiian gods come to life. The first two volumes were originally published by Jolly Fish. Parker appears to have regained the rights to those first two books, and is republishing them herself, with some changed content. On her blog she makes a comment about her experience “working with an understaffed, underfunded new publishing house”.

Anne Perry. Treachery at Lancaster Gate. March 22. Charlotte and Thomas Pitt #31. A bomb goes off in London during a secret police raid, claiming several lives, and Commander Thomas Pitt soon learns that it was not an anarchist attack but a calculated cover-up of murder.

Clair M. Poulson. Out Lawyered. Covenant, Aug. 1. Thriller. “Saxon Cartwright is a small-town lawyer driven by a deeply personal need to see justice served. Years ago, the incompetence of a prosecuting attorney allowed his sister’s murderer to walk free. Now, Saxon is faced with the task of prosecuting a case eerily reminiscent of that long-ago trial, and he’s determined to make the murderer pay.”

Janette Rallison. The Wrong Side of Magic. Feiwel & Friends, Aug. 23. MG speculative.

SLJ: “Hudson Brown hasn’t believed in magic in a long time. But when his sister Bonnie’s cat gets sick, Hudson winds up in a magical world trying to get medicine for it, all thanks to a compass given to him by his kooky neighbor Charlotte. In the magical world called Logos, the rules are determined by words, thoughts, and memories. Visitors can pay a fairy to ferry them across a river by offering up a memory or have a delicious pastry made up of the word friendship. Just watch out—the unicorns help only the ones who are pure of heart. Cursed by trolls, Hudson needs Charlotte’s help. The catch is, the only way to get rid of the curse is to find Logos’s long-missing princess. Similar in concept to Norton Juster’s The Phantom Tollbooth, this title expands upon the idea of a world ruled by wordplay. Logos is intriguing and whimsical. In order to get to the Cliff of Faces for answers, Hudson and Charlotte must choose the right boat: Will “love” get them across, or will the boat marked “strength” get them there? The adventure itself is enjoyable as Hudson and Charlotte work together to find Princess Nomira. The action has moments of intensity, but the heroes are able to get out of their scrapes relatively quickly. Readers will relish figuring out the nuances of Logos along with Hudson. VERDICT A good purchase for readers of lighthearted fantasy adventure books.”

Josi Russell. Shadows of Empyriad. Self, Aug. 15. Science fiction. First in a new series. Her first two novels were published by Future House. “Aliens are coming to Yellowstone Global Park. In order to protect its delicate ecosystem, the park has been closed to the public for a quarter of a century. But the fortifications that keep the public away from the bison and the geysers are perfect for keeping the arriving aliens–the Stracahn–away from humanity.”

Obert Skye. Lost and Found Henry Holt and Co., March 1. MG (comic) fantasy. Witherwood Reform School series, #2.

Kirkus: “The Snicket-ian dark comedy continues in Volume 2 of this series about a brother and sister trapped in the awful Witherwood Reform School. Tobias and Charlotte begin the book still under the mind control to which they succumbed in the first installment. However, Tobias learns that sudden intense pain can clear his head, leading him again to hope for escape. He finds the map he’s made of the school and puts together clues that he planted to help him through the mazelike passages behind the walls of such buildings as Weary Hall. He meets other clearheaded inmates, and the group begins plotting a breakout. Unfortunately, Charlotte has been removed to another dormitory and is still under control. In his investigations, Tobias discovers the nefarious fate that the owners of the school have in mind for the kids and must pretend to be brain-addled to keep his cover. When they get out into the grounds, will the children be able to escape the dragonlike predatory birds that capture escapees? Skye keeps the misadventures coming as Tobias deals with the odd personalities of his fellow students and captors, especially Fiddle, a boy who seems continually lost in some sort of mental fog. Will Fiddle actually be able to help, or will he give everything away? Worse, what’s really in that delicious chocolate pudding? Another suspenseful romp for kids who like dark humor.”

SLJ: “Readers who enjoy a bit of sarcasm with their adventure will eat this series up. Comparisons to Lemony Snicket are valid and makes this a great read alike to his many popular series. The events from Tobias & Charlotte’s previous venture are filled in when necessary although new readers may be initially confused as this installment starts immediately after the end of Witherwood Reform School. This is refreshing fantasy series instilled with dark humor that sets it apart from others in the genre.”

McArthur Krishna and Bethany Brady Spalding. Artwork by Caitlin Connolly. Our Heavenly Family, Our Earthly Family. Shadow Mountain, Sept. 5. Picture book.

Violadiva, Exponent II. “The authors and artist who created this book do a beautiful job of describing the divine origins of the human family: a Heavenly Mother and Father who worked together in creating us, our earth, and the plan for us to return to Them . . . I appreciated how conscientious the authors were to model earthly parents as equal partners without gender-role stereotypes. Mom can fly airplanes. Dad can carry in groceries. Parents share jobs at home. They are purposefully inclusive of a variety of child-raising possibilities . . . The text is warm and cheery, using lots of fun words that will make kids and parents giggle: colorful plants, splashing in puddles, comfort food, math equations, let Mom sleep in, build a fort, grubby jobs, pillow fights, zydeco dancing, tuba performance, put a worm on a hook. The artwork matches the text for brightness, and depicts playful and sweet moments in family life.”

Valerie Hudson Cassler. Square 2. “On the one hand, you might say, “Well, duh.” Ah, but you shouldn’t. No, indeed, dear reader, you should not, for She is there! She is there! For the first time in the history of publishing by Deseret Book–in other words, given the imprimatur of the Church itself–is a depiction of our Heavenly Mother! Yes, the cover and the very first page of text contain an image of our Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother! Together! And no, this is not a depiction of Adam and Eve, but a depiction of Heavenly Mother and Heavenly Father, for these two have white hair and are colossal in size, compared to all the children who have non-white hair and are all smaller in size . . .I would say with boldness that the Church has–finally–realized that it is impossible to defend the family without Her. It cannot be done if She is not there. And somehow, that is divinely ironic. The LDS Church, light years ahead of other Christian faiths with its doctrine of Heavenly Mother, neglected and overlooked the treasure She offered Her covenant children. That was a mistake, for the ground upon which the family could most effectively be defended is Her sacred ground.”

G. G. Vandagriff. Her Faithful Debut. Orson Whitney Press (self), Aug. 17. Regency romance.

David J. West. Cold Slither. Lost Realms Press, Aug. 20. Historical speculative short story collection. “A collection of weird western tales featuring Porter Rockwell. Spine-tingling horror and grim-dark humor go hand in hand with six-shooters in these adventures thru the old west.”

Kasie West. P. S. I Like You. Scholastic, July 26. Young adult.

Kirkus: “What happens when your intriguing pen pal and the thorn in your side are the same person? An aspiring songwriter, Lily is always jotting down ideas for songs—even in chemistry class. One day, she ends up writing the lyrics to one of her favorites on her desk. The next day, she sees that someone has responded to her, and as might be expected, a conversation in letters begins. Not only does the white teen start falling for her pen pal, but she finds that his revelations about his family fuel her songwriting. But then two different catastrophes strike: her guitar is damaged beyond repair, wrecking her chance of entering a songwriting contest, and Lily discovers the letter writer is preppy, white Cade Jennings, the guy she can’t stand—the guy who stuck her with the nickname “Magnet,” which persists two years later. Even with what she’s learned about him from his letters, Lily can’t get past her own immature reactions to Cade. Will her prejudices against Cade keep Lily from happiness? The answer is predictable but still satisfying. A perfectly pleasant novel, this work seems to want to be Pride and Prejudice lite. Readers after an enjoyable beach romance won’t go wrong with this.”

SLJ: “Although it gets off to a slow start as the author sets up the various subplots, there’s much to like about this sweet love story. West allows the sworn enemies to reexamine themselves in a believable way; Lily considers that the person she becomes around her nemesis Cade is not her best self—and that the same could possibly be true for Cade. There’s plenty of kissing at the end, but nothing that renders this work unsuitable for middle school readers. VERDICT Hand this one to fans of tween romance and Jennifer E. Smith’s books.”

Rosalyn Eves. 4 stars. “This was darling–I devoured it in about a day. I’d wanted something light and escapist and this fit the bill perfectly. It *might* be my favorite Kasie West book, which is saying something.”

Reviews of older books

Neil Aiken. Leviathan (Julianna DeMicco, Blogging the Numinos). “Aitken’s new chapbook guides the reader through the life, loves, and losses of Charles Babbage, a nineteenth-century mathematician and inventor remembered as the father of the computer. The poems trace the milestones of his life, and after his death, Babbage is eulogized by his great creation, his Leviathan. Aitken’s collection illuminates the heartbreak of ambition when it outsizes one lifetime . . . Neil Aitken’s Leviathan offers to the extant literary conversation a new perspective of passion as it combines with the technological mind. While many contemporary essays tend to highlight the ways in which technology increases loneliness and separates us from one another, these poems manage to combine those elements in a way that brings us closer to Babbage and his loves, which in turn brings us closer to our own losses and loves.”

Julie Berry. The Passion of Dolssa (Jessica Day George) 5 stars. “Breathtaking. A beautiful, spiritual, gritty, and heartfelt take on Christian mysticism and life in Provence in the 13th century. I did not know about the Albigensian crusade, or how the Inquisitors got started. In addition to this beautifully researched novel, there are extensive notes at the end of the book that are just as fascinating. I could not put this book down! It made me laugh and cry, and it also made me more than a little jealous. I mean, the writing is so lush, the characters so real, it’s just . . . breathtaking!”

Carolyn Twede Frank. Trapped in East Germany (Jennie Hansen, Meridian Magazine) 5 stars. “The character Karin Graeber is modeled after a real woman, Karen Graeber Adam. The horrible privations and losses she survived during the war and after were incorporated into the story. Karin is believable, both as a child and later as a teenager or young woman. The other characters are also realistic both in their heroic moments and when they make mistakes or commit despicable acts. It’s easy to admire Karin’s mother who often went without food so her children could have a few more bites of nourishment. She never gave up, but did all she could to protect and feed her girls as well as others who were sometimes dependent on her . . . Fictionalized accounts of real events tend to be romanticized or have wobbly plots. Not so, this time. Readers will enjoy Karin’s journey of faith as well as a plot that moves steadily toward a child’s desire for freedom. Readers will be spellbound by this glimpse of life in East Germany during the turbulent war years and the depressing post war time.”

Laurie (L. C.) Lewis. The Dragons of Alsace Farm (Jennie Hansen, Meridian Magazine) 5 stars. “Lewis has created outstanding characters who realistically portray the characteristics of the particular dragons each is fighting whether it is physical or emotional. Agnes’s dementia is very real as is the uncle’s cancer. So too, are the emotional flaws the two main characters carry from their years of physical or emotional abuse. The two young people learn a great deal about themselves and about love through the things they learn from Agnes. Love draws Agnes back from the terrible black abyss of dementia and love is the gift the uncle struggles to leave Noah, his wife, and his sons. As four people struggle with the “dragons” in their lives, this multi-pronged story melds the plot line of each character’s story into an overall one of overcoming adversity, recognizing the worth of all individuals, and never giving up on the hope for love and belonging.”

Kimberley Griffiths Little. Banished (Bloggin’ ‘bout Books) A-. “I’ve been a big fan of Little ever since I discovered her middle grade “bayou books” a few years ago.  Although her YA trilogy takes place far, far away from the Louisana swampland, the series has everything I’ve come to love about Little’s storytelling—a vivid, atmospheric setting; colorful, intriguing characters; a compelling, fast-paced plot; and a sprinkle of magic that spices her novels with that something special that is hard to describe but easily identifiable as vintage KGL. Banished, the second book in the series, blends all of these elements to continue the riveting story begun in Forbidden. Although I found Banished a tad more predictable than its predecessor, I still raced through it, unable to stop until I knew what happened to Jayden. Since there’s one more book in the trilogy, it’s a given that our heroine will not find her HEA quite yet. Banished is a satisfying read in and of itself, true, but it will definitely leave you hungering for Returned.”

Jennifer Moore. Lady Helen Finds her Song (Provo City Library). “I really enjoyed this Regency romance. I liked discovering more about the Indian culture and the part the British played in their history. Helen is a very likeable character that is just trying to find her place in the world. There was a bit of of love triangle in this book, but it wasn’t over the top and it didn’t bother me at all. I actually enjoyed getting to know all the different characters and I love books that have a happy ending.”

Jennifer Quist. Sistering (Jesse Christensen). “The humor in this book is fairly dark, but if you’re ready for it, you’ll have a great time reading it. The characters are all memorable, and each of the five sisters had a unique voice; the switching viewpoints felt natural instead of gimicky, like it does in too many other books I’ve read. The plot also kept me guessing (and cringing a little), and the ending was perfect. This is another unique and wonderful book by Quist and I look forward to reading more from her in the future.”

Samuel W. Taylor. Heaven Knows Why! (Michael Andrew Ellis) 5 stars. “Evoking life in a rural Utah town shortly after World War II, Taylor sets up a divine comedy where against all odds things seem to work out. Moroni Skinner looks down from heaven and sees that his grandson Jackson is not living up to his potential. He gets permission to manifest himself to Jackson and tell him to marry the bishop’s daughter, Katie Jensen. Only she’s engaged to be married to Henry Brown, the first counselor and a successful businessman. If you want to read a work of Mormon Lit that will keep you laughing, read this while nursing a cup of Coffee-Near. Worth it!”

Theater

Matthew Greene. Gregorian. SoHo Rep. Theatre, Walker Space NYC.  August 18 – September 2. “Gregorian, a new play by Matthew Greene, portrays one family’s journey through the bloodiest century in human history as four generations discover the gravity of a name passed from father to son. The play explores the cyclical effects of genocide on humanity, the consequences of denial, and the essential place these stories hold in our existence. Beginning with the Gregorian family’s own tragic roots in the Armenian Genocide, through the rise of the Nazi Party, across the killing fields of Cambodia, and the continuing crisis in Africa, they do all they can to hold on to heritage, history, and hope.”

Jonathon Penny (book) and Mark Mitchell (music and lyrics). Are We Not All Strangers. Cardston Civic Centre, Cardston, Alberta, Aug. 10-13. Part of the “Mormon Trail Chautauqua” festival.

Film

I Am Not a Serial Killer, a film based on the novel by Dan Wells, directed by Billy O’Brien, opens in limited release onon August 26. It is available at selected theatres and on VOD (Amazon, iTunes, etc). There will also be special screenings at DragonCon in Atlanta on Sept 2, and at Jordan Commons Megaplex, SLC, Sept. 9-10.

AV Club (A-). “[The public] is fascinated with psychopaths and serial killers. We’re intrigued by the idea of monsters hiding in plain sight, people whose lack of innately human characteristics like empathy and shame enables them to actually do the things that most of us only think about in our darkest moments, if at all . . . But what about the real people who have been diagnosed with this disorder? Is there such a thing as an innocent psychopath? This question is explored in Billy O’Brien’s sharply observed indie horror-drama I Am Not A Serial Killer, which contrasts two very different takes on the idea of the monster in human skin. For those who haven’t read Dan Wells’ source novel, it’s impossible to elaborate too much on one of these perspectives without giving away a huge—and fantastic, in every sense of the word—plot twist in the film’s third act . . . A name actor like Christopher Lloyd was undoubtedly a get for a little movie like this one, and Lloyd takes advantage of the opportunity to play against type in a complex, but still terrifying, villain role . . . What sets I Am Not A Serial Killer apart from other takes on this “killers hunting killers” concept (Dexter, anyone?) is its naturalistic, character-based approach. Over the course of an hour and 44 minutes, we come to understand and sympathize with John, who, deep down, isn’t a bad kid. He’s just grappling with an unusual disorder . . . But a uniquely wry tone sets the film apart. I Am Not A Serial Killer is unmistakably a drama, but it’s a strangely cheerful one given its dark subject matter. The menacing and the absurd co-exist in a very funny, very matter-of-fact way . . . It might end up being a cult favorite. Other movies have engaged in the theme of unspeakable evil lurking just under the surface of an all-American town, lifting up a rock to reveal the insects crawling underneath. This movie sees things from the insect’s point of view.”

Daniel Gold, NY Times. “Early in the movie . . . Billy O’Brien nicely balances the tedium of small-town life — the film was shot in northern Minnesota — with an unnervingly creepy vibe. Unfortunately, the plot goes off the rails in the second half, as horror needlessly lurches into the supernatural. Until then, though, Mr. Records (the child actor in “Where the Wild Things Are”) is nimble and unsentimental in playing a character who is playing at normal, supported by a solid cast in a well-filmed indie that doesn’t let its low budget get in the way of some true chills.”

Rogerebert.com. 1 star out of 4. “I’m not entirely convinced that the makers of pseudo-psychological thriller “I Am Not a Serial Killer” know the difference between a cold sociopath and a garden-variety adolescent . . . The arbitrary value of life in “I Am Not a Serial Killer” makes its nature as an ostensibly character-driven mystery that much harder to swallow. Don’t bother with this nonsensical time-waster.”

Kurt Loder, Reason.com. “one of the more novel premises in recent b-movie history . . . the movie is a tidy genre mash-up—part teen flick, part gruesome crime tale, and part… well, something else, which I won’t go into. Irish director Billy O’Brien (Isolation) knows his way around a low budget, and working with cinematographer Robbie Ryan (Fish Tank) he creates an evocative atmosphere of smothering small-town ennui. He has also been careful not to over-exploit the story’s ickier aspects (although there are plenty of glistening, slippery innards on view).”

Greg Whiteley. Last Chance U. Netflix. Whiteley’s (New York Doll, Mitt) latest documentary, “Last Chance U”, became available for streaming on July 29 on Netflix. There are six one-hour segments. AV Club, B+.

LDS filmmaker Darran Scott, 52, is accused of assaulting 15 boys, ages 11 to 15 at the time, between 1990 and 2015, when he coached two junior football clubs in the suburbs of Melbourne, the Sydney Morning Herald has reported. Scott is the director and writer of “The Spirit of the Game,” which had its world premiere on the opening night of the Park City International Film Festival in August. “The Spirit of the Game” tells the true story of the “Mormon Yankees,” basketball-playing LDS missionaries who helped prepare Australia’s basketball team for the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne. (Salt Lake Tribune).

Bestsellers

Aug. 7, 14, 21, 28, Sept. 4.

Christine Feehan. Dark Carousel

USA Today: x, x, #8, x, x (1 week)

PW Hardcover: x, x, #7, #15, #24 (3 weeks). 9525, 4381, 2411 units. 16,317 total.

NYT Hardcover: x, x, #9, x, x (1 week)

NYT Ebook fiction: x, x, #6, x, x (1 week)

Christine Feehan. Shadow Rider

USA Today: #105, x, x, x, x (4 weeks)

PW Mass Market: #10, #23, x, x, x (5 weeks). 6109, 4387 units. 55,382 total.

NY Times Mass Market: #12, x, x, x (4 weeks)

Kiersten White. And I Darken

NY Times Young Adult Hardcover: #6, #6, #6, #7, #6 (7 weeks)

Orson Scott Card and Aaron Johnson. The Swarm

USA Today: x, x, #115, x, x (1 week)

PW Hardcover: x, x, #24, x, x (1 week). 2352 units.

RaeAnne Thayne. Riverbed Road

PW Mass Market: #12, x, x, x, x (5 weeks). 4776 units. 41,363 total.