We start with a report from the 2018 MSH/AML Conference, including the AML Awards and the announcement of the restarting of our literary magazine Irreantum. Among the books released over the last two months are Jennifer Quist’s novel The Apocalypse of Morgan Turner, Heidi Naylor’s collection of short stories Revolver, Javen Tanner’s poetry collection The God Mask, D. J. Butler’s alternative history/fantasy novel Witchy Winter, Obert Skye’s middle grade fantasy Wizard for Hire, Sarah M. Eden’s Victorian romance Ashes on the Moor, and the short story collection Unspun: A Collection of Tattered Fairy Tales. Also new YA or MG novels from Courtney Alameda, Rosalyn Eves, Shannon and Dean Hale, Tricia Levenseller, Brandon Mull, Jennifer A. Nielsen, and Carol Lynch Williams. Single Wide, a new pop/country musical written by BYU faculty and former students had its first large-scale production, and Trek: The Movie, a film about Mormon youth treks, opened in Utah theaters.
This covers two months of news. Next month Michael Ellis will write the Month in Review, and we will alternate months for a while. Thanks to Michael for lightening my load. Please send your news, new book announcements, etc, to mormonlit@gmail.com.
AML News
AML held its 2018 Conference in as a part of the Mormon Studies in the Humanities Conference, held at BYU, on March 22-24. It was a great success, and we thank our friends at MSH for hosting us. We should do it together again sometime in the future. We held a dinner and author readings event that evening at a home in Provo. Nine authors read from their stories or poetry.
The 2017 AML Awards were presented at the conference. Lavina Fielding Anderson was presented with the Smith-Pettit Foundation Award for Outstanding Contribution to Mormon Letters, and Robert Kirby was presented with the Association for Mormon Letters Lifetime Achievement Award. Lavina’s husband Paul and their son attended the event. We were very shocked and saddened to hear that Paul Anderson passed away soon after they returned home to Salt Lake City that night. Let’s all keep Lavina and her family in our prayers.
The MSH conference last week marked the end of Sheldon Lawrance’s two-year tenure as president, and the start of Eric W. Jepson’s tenure. We plan to hold the 2019 AML Conference in the Bay Area during the spring. Also, we announced the restart of our literary journal, Irreantum and submissions for the first issue are now open, through April 30.
AML Board, 2018
President: Eric W. Jepson
Vice President: James Goldberg
Past-president: Sheldon Lawrence
Webmaster: Michael Andrew Ellis
Assistant Webmaster: Elizabeth Beeton
Treasurer: Scott Hales
Irreantum Managing Editor: William Morris
Awards Chair: Andrew Hall
Blog content coordinator: Jennifer Quist
Board Members: Tyler Chadwick, Kylie Nielson Turley, Margaret Blair Young.
Also, the AML Facebook page has reached 1000 likes!
The A Motley Vision blog has transitioned into being a quarterly online newsletter, with mini-reviews, musing, assorted updates and links, Mormon culture recommendations, and occasional appearances by other AMVers. The first issue includes a mini-review of It Needs to Look Like We Tried by Todd Robert Petersen. Sign up for the AMV Newsletter here.
Awards
Bill and Marilyn Brown were given the Scera Center for the Arts (Orem)’s Lifetime Achievement in the Arts Award. Here is the award citation: “Marilyn Brown considers most of her artistic work to lie in her novels. Though she enjoyed art classes in college, after achieving the MA from BYU and MFA from the University of Utah in creative writing, she has published more than twenty books, some winning prestigious awards: First Place and Honorable Mention in the Utah State Fine Arts Awards, the first Mayhew Prize at BYU, First Novel Award for the Association of Mormon Letters, First Place in both poetry and short story from Utah Writers, a Whitney nomination and Whitney Lifetime Achievement Award. She also won the Smith-Petit Award for her outstanding contribution to Mormon literature. After raising six children, and enjoying sixteen grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren with her husband Bill, she joined him in developing 96 live plays at Springville’s Villa Playhouse. After his health problems, she helped establish their small gallery on Springville’s Main Street -The Brown House of Fine Arts. Although a fire destroyed more than thirty percent of their work, they agree that the joy of creating art is so satisfying, they are ready to do more. The creative couple live in Hobble Creek Canyon with three cats, visiting raccoons, wild turkeys, and mountainsides spotted with deer. Bill Brown’s love of the arts began at Provo High School, when theater teacher Ray Jones asked him to play the role of Jonathan in “Arsenic and Old Lace.” He won the Actor of the Year Award for the performance and was hooked. Bill went to BYU to become a drama teacher, and finally graduated with a degree in Theater in 2002 – some 40 years later – as the oldest graduate in his class! During that time, Bill was a successful real estate broker for 52 years. But theater was his passion. He and Marilyn founded two community theaters in Springville, the Villa Playhouse and the Little Brown Theater. They put money, time and talents into those ventures and produced nearly 100 productions in ten years. Hundreds of children and youth gained confidence and experience in their youth theater programs. They closed the theaters after Bill had a serious heart attack. While recuperating, he started painting with Marilyn in 2006, and they opened The Brown House of Fine Arts Gallery and Studio in 2008. It has been open continuously until a fire destroyed it on October 19thlast year. The couple are planning to rebuild and reopen sometime this year, but until then, their garage is their studio. Bill and Marilyn love to paint together and have won several awards. Bill considers his greatest achievement to be marrying Marilyn 42 years ago, and their entire extended family.”
The Whitney Awards announced this year’s recipient of the Outstanding Achievement Award is Robison Wells, the founder of the Whitney Awards. “Rob had an incredible vision to create an awards program to showcase the best literature written by LDS authors, and put forth countless hours and effort and resources to make it into something truly stellar. We owe so much to Rob for all that he has done, and everything that he has created the Whitney Awards to become. We are thrilled to be able to honor him at this year’s Whitney Award Gala.” The Whitney Awards will be presented at the Whitney Gala on May 5 at the Provo Marriott Hotel.
Greg Whiteley’s Netflix documentary Last Chance U has received an Emmy nomination for Sports Documentary.
Among the finalists for the Gemmell Awards for Fantasy Legend Award (best novel) are: Sins of Empire, Book 1 of Gods of Blood and Powder by Brian McClellan, and Oathbringer, The Stormlight Archive Book 3 by Brandon Sanderson.
Gemmell Awards Morning Star Award (best new author) finalist: Witchy Eye by D.J. Butler
Alison Brimley‘s “Thin Walls” is the winner of the Western Humanities Review’s Mountain West Writers’ Contest Prose award.
Jennifer A. Nielsen’s A NIGHT DIVIDED has won the Rebecca Caudill Award. The Rebecca Caudill Young Readers’ Book Award is an annual award given to the author of the book voted most outstanding by students in grades four through eight in participating Illinois schools.
News and blog posts
The Mormon Arts Center in New York City announced the dates for the 2nd Mormon Arts Center Festival, on June 28-30, at the Italian Academy of Columbia University with art, music, film, children’s events, and conversations with artists from around the world, and a concert of Mormon-composed music at Carnegie Hall.
The judge in the Rachel Ann Nunes VS Rushton Copyright Infringement Case has issued summary judgment, holding Rushton liable for copyright infringement. The case is not yet over, but this is a major step.
Britany Long Olsen. Women of the Book of Mormon in Art. The Exponent.
Crime and Murder Among the Mormons: Lisa Levy on the Unlikely Utah noir of Mette Ivie Harrison.” Literary Hub. “In contemporary crime fiction there are religious detectives of all creeds; but there’s only one series I read with a devout amateur detective at its center. Linda Wallheim is the heroine of Mette Ivie Harrison’s mysteries set in the town of Draper, Utah . . . The books work because Linda is a thoroughly likable character. She bristles against the teachings of the church but is not an outright rebel, and her thoughtfulness makes her relatable whether you are a godless citydweller like me or (I can only guess) a more devout person. Over the progression of the three books in the series so far we see her becoming more aware of the world outside Mormonism, but also thinking more about how Mormonism treats women and other groups it sees as other.”
“Writer Chris Stewart Warned Us. But Does Congressman Chris Stewart Care?” By Ryan Cunningham, City Weekly. Russian intrigue, international espionage, nuclear doomsday scenarios—it can all be found in the congressman’s 1997 debut novel.
Tim Wirkus provides a playlist for his novel The Infinite Future.
Jennifer Quist. “Laurelled Lives: The Swedish Academy’s Praise for its Prizewinners.” New Left Review 104, March-April 2017
Janice Johnson. “Netflix’s “Godless” replays old battle between Mormons and Americans” Maxwell Institute. Compares the depiction of Mormons in Godless to 19th century anti-Mormon depictions.
The Contemporary Mormon Poets reading series, presented by the Tanner Humanities Center at the University of Utah, has been going on in March and April, at the Jewel Box Conference Room, University of Utah. Lisa Bickmore, Timothy Liu, and Lance Larsen have presented. Kristen Eliason’s reading will wrap up the series on April 10, 7:30PM.
Segullah interview with the author Susan Elizabeth Howe. “In my student days, I was repeatedly warned against didactic poetry, poetry whose purpose is to convince the reader of something. I still believe that to be a good warning; a didactic purpose keeps a poem from being art and reduces it to a kind of propaganda. On the other hand, the patriarchal literary establishment has, during my generation and earlier, prevented women from examining their own experience by calling women’s perspectives limited and partial, which of course they are, just as men’s perspectives are limited and partial. As a student I had to learn to read with a male perspective; now men also have to learn to read with a female perspective. I think this is altogether admirable and creates far greater opportunities for men and women to understand each other. I was also taught that if you know the end of your poem when you begin to write it, it’s already a dead poem, and I believe that’s also true. Poems are about exploring, examining, and learning where the poem wants to go, not deciding that beforehand. I hope that’s evident in my poems, particularly when I examine such subjects as Mother in Heaven.”
Tara Westover’s memoir Educated has been on the bestseller lists for the last six weeks. She has been interviewed on a variety of shows, including The New York Times Book Review, NPR’s Fresh Air, RadioWest, and Mormon Stories.
Magazines and Short stories
The Spring 2018 issue of Dialogue: A journal of Mormon thought is now available. It includes two short stories, “The Shyster” by Levi Peterson, and “Come to Zion” by Annette Randall Haws. Poems by Natalie Shaw Even, Chris Peck, Bob Rees, and Douglas Summers Stay. Personal essays by Russell Arben Fox and Marilyn D. White. Book Reviews include: The Mormon Arts Center’s The Kimball Challenge at Fifty: Mormon Arts Center Essays, reviewed by Jacob Bender. R. A. Christmas’ Saviors on Mt. Disneyland: New and Collected Poems, reviewed by Dennis Clark. Rachel Hunt Steenblik’s Mother’s Milk: Poems in Search of Heavenly Mother, reviewed by Kristen Eliason. Lisa Bickmore’s Ephemerist, reviewed by Bert Fuller. Sandra Clark Jergensen and Shelah Mastny Miner eds., Seasons of Change: Stories of Transition, reviewed by Mei Li Inouye. Steven Peck’s Gilda Trillim: Shepherdess of Rats, reviewed by Rachel Eva Kirkwood.
Sunstone Magazine, Issue 186 is now available, but I have not seen a table of contents or cover.
Sunstone announced its 2018 Fiction Contest. Submissions are due on June 30.
Dustin Steinacker. “Envoy in the Ice”. Writers of the Future #33. Galaxy Press, April, 2017. Deseret News article about Steinacker.
“Confessions of a Mycologist” by Katherine Cowley. Mad Scientist Journal, Spring 2018 Volume CCI. When Maria Santos modified a plastic-eating fungus, she was only trying to save the planet.
New books and their reviews
Various Authors. Unspun: A Collection of Tattered Fairy Tales. April 10. Eleven storytellers come together to challenge and explore a few of those classic tales. Unexpected twists are sure to provoke both thought and laughter. Illustrated. Includes: “Heart of a Thief” by Chris Cutler (Jack and the Beanstalk). “Rumpelstiltskin’s Daughter” by Ruth Nickle (Rumpelstiltskin). “Tsar Vislav, Tsarina Vislav, and the Firebird” by Sarah Chow (Tsarevitch Ivan, the Firebird, and the Gray Wolf). “Tatterhood and the Prince’s Hand” by Katherine Cowley (Tatterhood). “The Little Mermaid” by PJ Switzer (The Little Mermaid). “Ásthildur and the Yule Cat” by Sarah Blake Johnson (The Yule Cat). “Perfectly Real” by Robin Prehn (The Princess and the Pea). “The Pied Piper’s Revenge” by Scott Cowley (The Pied Piper). “Ethical Will” by Kaki Olsen (The Nutcracker). “Breadcrumbs” by Jeanna Mason Stay (Hansel and Gretel). “Spring’s Revenge” by Anika Arrington (Snow White)
Tyson Abaroa. The Fattest Mormon. Self, Nov. 3 2017. General. The Winnebago Chronicles, #1. Finalist in the Whitney General Award category. “Phil, exiled from his old life, wanders across the country in his Winnebago looking for prize money, and any competition will do. When he learns about an $8,000 prize for a weight-loss competition in the mostly Mormon small towns of Taylor and Snowflake, Arizona, he drives across the country binge-eating zingers and pizza to get ready to lose as much weight as possible. This hustle could be it. He could finally come up with enough money to send himself to Japan to study his first love, Jiu-Jitsu, and lift his banishment from the sport. But, when he parks his Winnebago on the driveway of an old friend, his whole world is threatened by a narcissistic trainer, the second best weight loss hustler in the world, and the twelfth place crossfitting ex-husband of his beautiful personal trainer.”
Courtney Alameda. Pitch Dark. Feiwel & Friends, Feb. 20. YA science fiction/horror. “Tuck Morgan and his crew have slept in stasis aboard the USS John Muir for centuries. Their ship harbors a chunk of Earth, which unbeknownst to them, is the last hope for the failing human race. Laura Cruz is a shipraider searching the galaxy for the history that was scattered to the stars. Once her family locates the John Muir and its precious cargo, they are certain human civilization is saved. When Tuck’s and Laura’s worlds collide—literally—the two teens must outwit their enemies, evade brutal monsters that kill with sound, and work together to save the John Muir . . . and the whole human race.”
SLJ: “In this intense sci-fi thriller, Alameda poses the question: Is the human species worthy of being saved? Two teen protagonists provide the first-person play-by-play in alternating chapters. . . . A must-have sci-fi read that teens won’t be able to put down.”
Rachael Anderson. My Sister’s Intended. HEA Publishing, March 15. Historical romance.
Donna Banta. Mormon Erotica. Self, Jan. 16. Romance. A faithful Mormon man falls for a lapsed Mormon romance author. Not actually “erotica”. The author is an ex-Mormon. “After forty-five years of adhering to his faith, Jim Maxwell falls dismally short of the Mormon ideal. A divorced single dad, he’s a chronic grumbler who refuses to attend the ward mix and mingles. While his testimony of the restored gospel remains firm, when it comes to marriage, he’s agnostic. That is, until his old girlfriend, Sadie Gordon, walks back into his life. Now a lapsed Latter-day Saint and author of Mormon “erotica,” Sadie recaptures Jim’s heart. But can a believer and a nonbeliever find lasting happiness together? The exploration of this unchartered territory forces Jim to reexamine his responsibilities to his family, friends, and faith, as well as his concept of the ideal.”
D. J. Butler. Witchy Winter. Baen, April 3. Alternative history fantasy. Sequel to Witchy Eye.
PW: “Butler follows Witchy Eye with a satisfying second tale of a magic-filled early America. The first volume introduced 15-year-old Sarah Calhoun, who hails from the Appalachian backwoods. She discovered that she had a claim to the Serpent Throne of Cahokia, which controls the Midwest—and also learned she had two siblings, whom she hopes to meet. Now Sarah and her companions have reached her true homeland, and her family members, who are also vying for the throne, may be the least of her worries. The legendary Heron King, ruler of beastkind, has dispatched messengers warning that Peter Plowshare—his peacetime aspect, or persona—is dead, and his wartime aspect, Simon Sword, will unleash death and madness on any who resist him. Deep and old magic influences both places and characters, and the story is tightly focused on the determined Sarah, who needs the magic but only vaguely grasps its multitude of dangers. Butler spins many scattered threads that often seem disparate, yet slowly and cunningly converge on Sarah and the approaching battles. Fans of epic and alternate historical fantasy will savor this tale of witchery and intrigue.”
M. K. Cartazonos. Edited by James Goldberg. Strange Magic: A Choose Your Own Romance. Your Press, Feb. 14. Surrealistic, told in second person, by “an author who has disappeared.”
Heather Chapman. The Forgotten Girl. Cedar Fort/Sweetwater, Feb. 13. Historical. “It is 1906, and sixteen-year-old Stella’s future in Durliosy, Poland, has never looked bleaker. After losing her parents at a young age, she was taken in by her brother’s family. But now, after years of mistreatment, she determines to escape her brother and the oppression of Russian-occupied Poland and travel to America—a land of hope and opportunity. Determined to find her independence, Stella is not looking for love, but after arriving in Fells Point, Maryland, she can’t help but be drawn in by a tall stranger, despite his rough exterior.”
Renee S. Clark. Beneath the Bellemont Sky. Covenant, March 1. Historical romance. “As WWII draws to a close, war widow Vera Larsen Trumbell knows all too well the sacrifices of those left on the home front. Working on her family’s farm has sustained Vera and her young children, but she now yearns for a sense of normalcy. The end of the war has been bittersweet for the Larsen clan, as they and the members of their small Wyoming town continue to pick up the pieces of their former lives. Navigating the complexities of a postwar world, Vera and her family face the changing ideals swirling around them. From rising controversy surrounding women’s presence in the workplace to the town’s cold reception of the newest member of the family—a beautiful French freedom fighter—the American dream of days gone by has been thrown off balance. ”
Michael R. Collings. Temple and the Cosmos. Self, March 24. Poems. “This collection of poems considers the physical, spiritual, and emotional connections between the Temple and the universe that surrounds us.”
Sarah M. Eden. Ashes on the Moor. Shadow Mountain, March 6. Historical romance.
PW: “Eden blends a bucolic historical setting with deep characters for a rewarding tale. Spunky but socially conventional Evangeline Blake lost all her family except her young sister, Lucy, to a sudden illness in late-19th-century England. Her austere aunt takes over their care, separating the sisters and foisting untrained Evangeline into teaching in the northern English mill town owned by the girls’ grandfather. Eden provides solid historical details to highlight Evangeline’s struggles with understanding Yorkshire accents, living in poverty, and being socially isolated because she has to keep her family connections secret. Never having lived on her own, she relies on a neighbor, ambitious Irish immigrant Dermot McCormick. Evangeline’s slightly anachronistic acceptance of his son’s autistic traits captures Dermot’s affections. As they grow more attached, the secret of Evangeline’s true social status slips out and threatens everything. Eden ably captures the changing of an era, the horrors of factory work, and the displacements of being Irish in England, a lady among the working classes, and a Southern Englishwoman in the North. Despite a few moments that feel too modern, the novel will appeal to readers seeking a chaste romance that makes gentle challenges to conventions of feminine propriety.”
Kirkus: “Once again, Eden proves herself a gifted writer dedicated to unique, out-of-the-box storytelling with inspiring and thought-provoking elements. Exploring one woman’s struggle to find her place in a world where every step forward is a challenge offers an uplifting—and very clean—romance.”
Booklist: “Eden does not shy away from the realities of life for the working poor in a Victorian mill town, deftly weaving such elements into Evangeline’s fish-out-of-water experiences as she adjusts to her new circumstances. A strong supporting cast of students and families adds context and depth. Readers will enjoy Evangeline’s growth as a strong woman almost as much as the steady, show burn of her relationship with Dermot, which moves from wariness to friendship to sweet romance.”
Spencer Ellsworth. Starfire: Memory’s Blade. Tor, Feb. 27. Science fiction. Starfire #3.
Rosalyn Eves. Lost Crow Conspiracy. Random House Children’s, March 27. YA alternative history/fantasy. Blood Rose Rebellion #2. “Historical Fantasy inspired by mission to Hungary.” Deseret News interview.
SLJ: “This sequel continues the saga of Anna Arden and the magical creatures she helped release from bondage in Blood Rose Rebellion. Now in hiding in Vienna with her sister Catherine, Anna attempts to settle into life as a courtier. She attends parties, takes walks on the promenade, and even catches the eye of Archduke Franz Joseph. But she can’t break away from her past and her desire to free the magical Praetheria, or from her feelings for Gabor. She also can’t run from the crime she committed in the name of freedom—the murder of her friend Matyas. She must decide if she will continue to hide or take a stand in front of the Austrian Congress and become her true self—a chimera, or “two-souled.” This is a unique blend of fantasy and historical fiction, and fans of both will appreciate the intertwining genres. The narrative utilizes alternating points of view, giving readers a unique perspective on the lives of both main characters (Anna and Matyas). VERDICT A magical tour of mid-19th-century Europe that will leave teens waiting anxiously for the next installment; recommended for fans of alternative history and fantasy.”
Kirkus: “Both protagonists have revolutionary urgings, although their anti-imperialistic nationalism seems awfully selective, an unreconciled contradiction that could possibly be resolved in Book 3. Anna and Mátyás, both white, are exceptionally magical, with phenomenal cosmic powers that everyone wants to exploit, from the ancient Hungarian gods to the Hapsburg Archduchess Sophie. This all boosts expectations of series readers for a conclusion they may worry it cannot meet. A sequel that serviceably does its middle-volume job; it won’t attract new readers but should please fans of Book 1.”
Shannon Hale and Dean Hale. The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl: 2 Fuzzy, 2 Furious. Marvel Press, March 6. Middle grade superhero. “Doreen Green, age fourteen, is a little too busy wiping out crime in her suburban New Jersey neighborhood to focus on her overdue homework. That’s because she also happens to be Squirrel Girl, a bushy-tailed, squirrel-powered Super Hero! After foiling the nefarious plot of an amateur Super Villain, Squirrel Girl is finally finding her groove—and group texting with the Avengers, like, all the time. Doreen, on the other hand, is still trying to navigate friendships, evil teachers, and all the pitfalls that come with middle school. (Seriously, it’s complicated.)”
Maurine Haltiner. Every Angle of Moonshine. Kelsay Books, Aug, 2017. Poetry. Maurine Haltiner’s generous collection of poems, Every Angle of Moonshine, takes the long view: seasons shift around us through “thousands of generations,” Father’s voice, crisp / as cash” hands us into a childhood vivid enough to be our own. With humor and tenderness, with whatever is required, these poems give us the wide world, its mallards and pelicans, double-white lilacs and rain beetles, “fixed stars and what is not // what was there before,” DNA and “feathers brilliant / as salt sheen.” In sonnets, golden shovels, blank verse and free, in persona poems and narratives, Every Angle of Moonshine may not give us everything, but it’s a pretty full accounting: “the quick of love, the moon / full blast, stars, the endless press of time. Maurine Haltiner has a BA and an MA from the University of Utah in English with minors in music and linguistics. In 2004 her manuscript A Season and a Time received the first-place publication prize from the Utah State Poetry Society. She also has one published YA novel, Truth Windows. Maurine was a contributing poet to Nine One One: Poems for September 11 and the UCTE Journal. In both 2012 and 2014 she received the first-place prize in the top category of the NFSPS Poetry Competition.
Amy Harmon. The Smallest Part. Self, Feb. 13. Contemporary romance/general. Enduring female friendships, and some romance.
Darryl Harris. The Reformation of Lady Elinor. Walnut Springs, March 8. Historical romance. “The Protestant Reformation has brought turmoil to England, as well as to the life of Lady Elinor Green Marbury. Oswyn Pygott, a commissioner for the king, desires to marry her. With the backing of King Henry VIII, Oswyn enlists Elinor to spy on Garrett Bloxham, a wealthy merchant and former Catholic priest. Bloxham is suspected of a capital crime—smuggling William Tyndale’s illegal English Bibles into the country. Accepting the spying mission because of her devotion to the Church of Rome, Elinor is thrust into a world of reformist thinking. She believes a pilgrimage to Rome, to pray over the bones of St. Peter and St. Paul—and to catch a glimpse of the pope—will bring the miraculous healing of her blind daughter, Margery. Garrett Bloxham takes Elinor on the pilgrimage, and sparks fly between them. This story features a vivid mixture of fictional characters and real ones such as King Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn, William Tyndale, Martin Luther, Bishop Cuthbert Tunstall, and Pope Paul III. A jousting tournament, a hawking expedition, and a sword fight spice up the action. Amid all this, a romance blossoms between Elinor and Garrett. But only time will tell if they can overcome their differences and pursue a future together.”
Jennie Hansen, Meridian Magazine. 5 stars. “The Reformation period, early 1500s, is a time that doesn’t appear in fiction a great deal and when it does, the conflict between the church and crown are often glossed over. Harris does well in explaining the dispute between the two; the greed and corruption of church leaders, and King Henry VIII’s defiance of the church in his desperate need for a male heir that led to divorcing his first wife to marry Anne Boleyn. Key also is the threat the church feels with the prospect of Bibles in the hands of ordinary people who can read and interpret the scriptures for themselves instead of being dependant on the clergy telling them what they should or should not do. Both Lady Elinor and Garrett Bloxham are portrayed well. Elinor’s education is limited and she has had little experience thinking for herself as was common for a time period when women were expected to simply obey fathers, husbands, kings, and the church. Yet she has more freedom than that experienced by women a few years later. Some readers may feel an urge to shake her as she slowly matures to the point where she begins to think for herself, yet is reluctant to let go of life-long beliefs. Garrett is a sympathetic character with whom readers will quickly identify. The setting and background of this novel show careful attention to detail. The author has done an exceptional job of exploring and explaining the nature of the disputes and conflicts of the time period. History fans will enjoy this one. Readers who love learning the differing aspects and historical backgrounds of world religions will also find this story meaningful. Action and Romance readers as well will find much for their satisfaction.”
Colleen Houck. Tiger’s Dream. Self, March 20. YA fantasy. Tiger’s Curse #5.
Jeb Kinnison. Nephilim. Self, Feb. 8. YA paranormal. “Mt. Hermon, Utah, is the ideal small town—until forces of darkness from deep beneath the mountain lead its people astray.
Sara is the new kid in town — moved with her divorced mother from a wealthy Long Island suburb, her Jewish roots are no help when a relentless angel comes calling. Jared has lived there all his life, and his addiction to online games and porn has his grades tumbling and his Mormon family worried. Together, Jared and Sara fight the battle of their lives against spirits from the Underworld. Sophisticated YA (some mild sex, high school setting) Mormon Gothic (with introduction to Mormon history, doctrine, and mythology), paranormal (demons and angels) romance and adventure.”
Emily R. King. The Rouge Queen. Skyscape, Feb. 13. Fantasy. The Hundredth Queen #3. The queen of fire faces off against a demon of ice.
Tricia Levenseller. Daughter of the Siren Queen. Feiwel & Friends, Feb. 27. YA adventure/fantasy. Daughter of the Pirate King, #2.
SLJ: “The author has yet again captured the adventure, romance, and ruthless ways of the high seas in this sequel to Daughter of the Pirate King. It picks up with the story of Alosa, a half-siren, half-human princess who is captain of the Ava-lee, a ship with an almost all-women crew. The group is a hardened lot made up of top-notch fighters. It’s also a very tight-knit family. Alosa has finally recovered the last piece of an ancient map that will lead her father to the ultimate treasure. When she and her crew reach her father’s keep, they discover that Alosa’s mother, a siren, has been held captive by her father for 18 years. Alosa was always told that her mother abandoned her. In order to free her mother, Alosa knows she will have to face her father and his fleet of 20-plus pirate ships. The book’s main focus is the upcoming showdown between the betrayed daughter and her legendary cruel father. Threaded throughout is a secondary story line about the budding romance between Riden and Alosa. The protagonist refuses to give into her feelings until she realizes that Riden is the only one who can help her control the her siren side. This fast-moving adventure with strong female characters would be great for those who love a good pirate story, a touch of romance, and action-packed sword fighting. VERDICT A strong choice for fantasy fans and those who enjoyed Traci Chee’s The Reader or Heidi Heilig’s books.”
Jennifer Moore. My Dearest Enemy. Covenant, April 1. Historical romance. Set in Ontario, Canada, 1812. An Ontario farm woman is angry at the Americans for causing destruction in the war, but nurses a wounded American soldier back to health, and they fall in love.
Brandon Mull. Time Jumpers. Aladdin, March 13. Middle grade fantasy. Five Kingdoms #5. “Trapped in a world where magic is powerful and dreams are real, Cole’s epic adventure comes to a close in book five of the series.”
Heidi Naylor. Revolver. BCC Press, April 6. Short stories. “These ten vivid stories feature war veterans, jaded professionals, lost faith, and recovered treasure. “Language of Desire” captures the predicaments of a misfit high school girl, an ambitious teenage boy, and the boy’s pragmatic mother. In “The Mandelbrot Set,” a quietly disillusioned Mormon mathematician meets a world-weary entrepreneur at a conference, where the two encounter a wondrous and unexpected revelation. The young man in “The Hardness of Steel” returns home to the Pennsylvania mill town where his father opposed the labor union. And in the title story, a German ex-patriot experiences a shattering memory of his service in World War II. With generosity and care, Naylor uncovers the extraordinary mingling of sorrow and sweetness in ordinary life.”
Heidi Naylor’s stories are masterpieces in miniature, full of tenderness, heartbreak, and discovery. In graceful and evocative prose, she carefully lays bare the ever-changing landscapes of the human heart. Her debut collection is a cause for celebration.” ~Brady Udall
Michael Ellis, Dialogue (forthcoming). “The stories in Heidi Naylor’s short story collection Revolver present characters who have experienced regret, grief, loss, and even death. As readers, we have the opportunity to peer into the abyss of their lives, while still garnering from the experience some little hope to carry on. Sounds grim, perhaps, but literature allows us to experience vicariously the circumstances, situations, and tragedies we would rather avoid in our own lives, perhaps with the hope that we might learn therefrom. To walk in another’s shoes. Naylor’s stories don’t preach, rather, they present life as it is, refusing to offer easy answers or comforting reassurances that “all is well” within Zion or without. In short, they present life in all its ugliness, beauty, and irony. The language is fresh, and the images exquisite. The collection is almost equal parts Mormon-themed and not, but the Mormon-themed stories have a universality to them that broaden their appeal beyond a Mormon literary audience.”
Jennifer A. Nielson. The Traitor’s Game. Scholastic, Feb. 27. YA Fantasy. The first in a new series.
PW: “Kestra Dallisor is the defiant 16-year-old daughter of Sir Henry Dallisor, chief counsel to Antora’s evil and possibly immortal ruler, Lord Endrick. Kestra is returning home following a three-year exile when Corack rebels ambush her carriage. Her attackers kidnap and threaten to kill Kestra’s driver and handmaid unless she smuggles two insurgents, Simon and Trina, into Sir Henry’s estate and helps them find the Olden Blade. The Blade is purportedly the only weapon capable of killing Lord Endrick, and it’s rumored to be hidden in the Dallisor dungeons. Kestra only cooperates because she must, but the longer she spends in the Coracks’ company, the more she questions what she knows about her kingdom, her family, and herself. First in a trilogy, this entertaining but uneven fantasy novel from Nielsen (the Mark of the Thief trilogy) advocates tolerance while championing female self-empowerment. Kestra and Simon’s alternating narratives are engaging and distinctive, but although Nielsen’s characters harbor plenty of secrets, they are somewhat one-dimensional, reducing the emotional impact of an otherwise action-packed, romance-laden tale.”
SLJ: “Between the onslaught of warring tribes and ever-changing loyalties, the book is replete with tense moments that propel the story forward. Nielsen does a masterful job keeping readers off guard while tightening the screws of tension throughout, satisfying even the most reluctant readers. The dialogue can read dry at times, but the plot-based twists and turns more than make up for it. An otherworldly story with a side of fantasy on the surface, the setup and struggle feels universal. Small plot reveals are meted out every few scenes to keep teens intrigued and thirsting for more. This is clearly the first of a series, as the ending is just the reckoning that some much larger battle is at hand. VERDICT A competent addition to any middle school library, especially where there are fans of Cassandra Clare and Suzanne Collins.”
Kirkus: “Not as kick-butt as Katniss, Kestra is nevertheless disturbingly accustomed to violence, as are her fellow characters, with some scenes verging on Tarantino territory. Alternating narrators Kestra and Simon brim with righteous indignation and rigid views, spouting polarized political propaganda until their shared past and star-crossed passion make them question everything. Front-loaded with worldbuilding and evidently lacking characters of color, the mostly medieval, somewhat fantasy tale ricochets among underdog rebellion, improbable heist, and torrid, florid, forbidden romance. Nielsen’s fans will eagerly anticipate sequels, but newcomers may find this first entry too little different from others in the genre to persist.”
Clair M. Poulson. Suspect. Covenant, March 1. Thriller. “Detective Royce Fleming has dealt with the worst of the worst in his small Utah town. But even after years of dealing with criminals, he’s shaken when a battered young woman enters his office. The victim of ruthless domestic abuse, Ellerie Pearson finally has the courage to share her painful secret with the kind officer. For Royce, this information is just another piece in the puzzle he’s working to solve—because unbeknownst to Ellerie, her husband’s body has just been found. And she’s the prime suspect in his murder.”
Jennifer Quist. The Apocalypse of Morgan Turner. Linda Leith, March 10. Morgan Turner’s grief over her sister’s brutal murder has become a run, and everyday horror she is caught in along with her estranged parents and chilly older brother. In search of a way out, she delves the depths of a factory abattoir, classic horror cinema, and the Canadian criminal justice system, which is trying her sister’s killer and former lover. He is arguing that he is Not Criminally Responsible for his actions because of mental illness. Whatever the verdict, Morgan – with the help of her immigrant coworkers, a Mormon do-gooder, and a lovelorn schizophrenia patient – uncovers her own way to move on.
Michael Austin, 5 stars. “These characters become Morgan’s symbolic family which, on paper, appears much more messed up than her real family but which, in practice, are amazingly functional as they lead her towards an actual apocalypse–the kind that is a revelation and not the kind that is the end of the world. And (as I read it at least) the revelation is bound up with the practical functionality of technically dysfunctional people–that’s vague, I know, but I am trying to make a good-faith effort to avoid spoilers. The novel does not end with an earth-shattering revelation. There is no Mr. Rochester’s voice calling out over the heath. No lightening in the shape of an A flashing across the sky as she stands at the gallows. But there is a gradual uncovering of a kind of wisdom–and a kind of trust–that have the cumulative effect of changing Morgan Turner profoundly. And (as there is in Quist’s other novels), there is wisdom, grace, humor, and just enough freaky stuff to make it interesting.”
Montreal Review of Books. “There is sensitivity and lyricism in Jennifer Quist’s writing. There are keen observations and scenes of exquisite compassion, particularly the ones that involve Morgan’s interactions with her unexpected new social circle of Korean-soap-opera-loving Chinese immigrants. There is grim humour, too. In the courtroom, Tod refers to the half of the gallery behind the prosecutor’s desk where they sit as “the bride’s side.” When Morgan’s anxious fingers wander to the bottom of the bench, she finds that “someone has left a wad of gum as a protest, sticking it to the court system the best way they could.” Readers wanting a fast-paced whodunit should look elsewhere. The Apocalypse of Morgan Turner is for those seeking something graver and richer, more nuanced and thought-provoking, something with no easy ending, however the verdict comes back. They will leave it feeling, as Morgan did after finally seeing the inside of the abattoir, “like any new initiate, considering something that was much less and much more than expected, all at once.””
Brandon Sanderson, Rik Hoskin. White Sand, Vol. 2. Dynamite Entertainment, Feb. 20. Graphic novel.
Obert Skye. Wizard for Hire. Shadow Mountain, April 3. MG contemporary fantasy, first in a series.
PW: “In this offbeat series opener, a young man searches for his parents with the aid of a self-proclaimed wizard, a resourceful girl, and a talking mechanical raven. Ever since his scientist parents were abducted seven years ago, 14-year-old Ozzy Toffy has grown up alone in their remarkably well-stocked cabin in the Oregon woods, living on expired canned food and learning from the books they left behind, with Clark the raven as his only companion. When Ozzy grows curious about the outside world, he attempts to reassimilate into a society he barely knows, which inspires him to hire the wizard Labyrinth (also known as Rin) to help him find out what happened to his parents. Ozzy’s seven-year solo survival requires suspension of disbelief, but Skye wisely keeps Rin’s nature ambiguous—is he magical or delusional?—while playing up the theme of found family. The juxtaposition of weird science and dodgy magic is sometimes awkward but nevertheless successful, thanks to the tongue-in-cheek humor Skye weaves throughout the story.”
SLJ: “Ozzy’s orphan story is a trope that many readers will have seen before, but his charisma and quick wits make his interaction with a world familiar to most readers—school and restaurants especially,—more interesting. Characters grow and change throughout, and dialogue is delightful, especially between Rin, the eccentric wizard who performs no magic, and Ozzy. While readers might expect resolutions via impressive magic, it’s strokes of luck, quick thinking, or fast-talking that often save the day. VERDICT Winning characters and witty humor elevate the plot. A solid purchase for large collections where light magical fantasy circulates.”
Kirkus: “Skye pens a clever coming-of-age tale filled with possible magic, definite mystery, and a hearty helping of humor. Ozzy’s wide-eyed optimism is heightened by Clark’s wry wit and Rin’s ridiculous worldview, but his boundless spirit and willingness to take risks are what will keep the pages turning. While the reveal of the mystery is disappointing, it does little to diminish this story. A stand-alone standout for fans of Leven Thumps. ”
Javen Tanner. The God Mask. Kelsay Books, March 3. “Javen Tanner’s fine collection The God Mask is a work of serious thought and study. Rather, each poem is the embodiment of serious thought: the shaping in imaginative language of one or more of the dilemmas of mortal existence. They do not look away from the difficult but embrace and grapple with sin, darkness, death, nothingness. The poems use the power of stories in shaping how and what we comprehend about ourselves, the universe, and the meaning of our existence. They demonstrate considerable formal skill; most often the poems are written in tercets, some rhyming, and then toward the end there is a section of prose poems and a genre-bending, multiple-section, fierce poem / story. These poems deserve a first reading for pleasure, a second for reflection, and a third for grappling with the philosophical questions Tanner has confronted in making them. The God Mask will reward readers in the same way the speaker of “Yorick” is affected by discovering a skull in the desert: “Wild again, I felt mortality in everything.”” Susan Elizabeth Howe, author of Salt; contributing editor, Tar River Poetry.
“Informed by Classical drama, European literature, and the Bible, the poetry of Javen Tanner in The God Mask reveals a man in middle age grappling with the archetypes of heroes in a world that has lost belief in them. The voice of the poems searches for a theory of everything—a hypothetical link of truth connecting the Greeks to Shakespeare to the Garden of Eden to contemporary American life in the Rocky Mountains. An elegant, natural storyteller, Tanner’s poems are dramas and parables whittled down to their bones.” Glen Nelson, founder and director, Mormon Artists Group.
Tyler Whitesides. The Wishmakers. HarperCollins, Feb. 27. MG contemporary fantasy.
Kirkus (Starred): “In a tumultuous opener, young Ace opens a peanut-butter jar and finds himself saddled with an inexperienced genie and a desperate mission to save the world. Without getting into the deeper meaning of it all (as yet, anyway), Whitesides concocts an ingenious premise. Ace, a white foster child with no memory of his real name or life before age 9, learns that he has a week to prevent a certain someone from opening a magic jar or see humankind exterminated by zombie cats and dogs. He gets as many wishes as he wants, but each comes with a balancing “consequence” that can range, depending on the scale of the wish, from permanent fish breath to the temporary loss of an arm to the death of everyone he’s ever met. The dark-skinned, T-shirt and shorts-clad genie, Ridge, is there not to grant wishes (that’s done by the Universe) but to explain their consequences beforehand. As if the well-known hazards of hastily formulated wishes—and the burgeoning, often hilarious consequences—weren’t complications enough, the author trucks in challenges like armies of stone men and malign stuffed animals, plus other young Wishmakers—notably demonstrably smarter Latina age-mate Martina Gomez—with convergent but possibly conflicting quests of their own. Narrow squeaks aplenty amid high hilarity, with a climactic twist that will leave readers fervently wishing for the sequel. ”
SLJ: “A perfunctory magical adventure series . . . Unfortunately, while this premise is interesting, the characters are less so. Ace is a generic protagonist who is mostly unsympathetic despite having a mysterious backstory. There’s no sense of excitement in the quest that Ace is forced into, and he barely wonders at the magic that is revealed to him. The attempts to inject humor into some of the less dire wish consequences falls flat. Ridge is described as having dark skin, Martina “Tina” Gomez is described as speaking Spanish in one scene, and one other genie is guessed to be Polynesian by Ace, but the other characters’ race or ethinic backgrounds are not specified. VERDICT Too frustrating to be fun, but too glib to be taken seriously, with an ending that leaves a lot unresolved questions.”
Carol Lynch Williams. Never That Far. Shadow Mountain, April 3. Young adult. Libby Lochewood is twelve years old when her grampa dies of a heart attack. She is devastated at losing her best friend. Now that he’s passed on, it’s just her and her father, and he is so overcome by grief that he can barely get out of bed in the morning. The night of the funeral, though, Grampa’s spirit appears in Libby’s bedroom and tells her three important things: first, that she isn’t alone or forgotten— “The dead ain’t never that far from the living,” he says; second, that she has “the Sight”—the ability to see family members who have died; and three, that there is something special just for her in the lake. Something that could help her and her father—if she can find it. Set in the lush, rural landscape of southern Florida, Never That Far celebrates friendship, hope, and the power of family love.
Chris Crowe: “Williams’ story of a 12-year-old girl fighting to maintain her family connections is sprinkled with a gentle dose of magical realism that is both real and magical.”
Camron Wright. The Other Side of the Bridge. Shadow Mountain, March 6. Contemporary/general.
Booklist: “Wright follows the seemingly separate lives of two grieving strangers…In San Francisco, Katie discovers a diary written by one of the original builders [of the Golden Gate Bridge] and becomes obsessed with returning it to the author’s family. In New York, Dave, reeling from an unimaginable tragedy, embarks on a cross-country trip to fulfill a dream of riding a motorcycle across the Golden Gate Bridge. Wright’s characters’ stories intersect in ways that are surprising and ultimately satisfying.”
Jennie Hansen, Meridian Magazine. 4 stars. “The character development is handled well in this story. Not only the major characters, but the supporting characters lend depth to the story and are realistic. The growth of the characters is gradual and opens vistas of understanding for the reader. The plot arc feels predictable, but isn’t, yet is satisfying. The background for the story is again double layered. The constant noise and busyness of New York, the quiet, almost desolate stretches across Colorado, and the fog and chill of San Francisco, muffling and distorting sound, are all real and enhance the story. The Golden Gate Bridge is one of the most famous and majestic bridges in the world. In the years since 1937 when the bridge was finished nearly 2000 people have jumped to their deaths from the bridge, yet it is also the setting and background for many, many love stories. It also is the almost mystical embodiment of the bridge that spans the chasm between life and death, separating now and forever.”
Reviews of older books
There are lots of reviews of quality Mormon literature at Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought.
Julie Berry. The Emperor’s Ostrich (Bloggin’ ‘bout Books) C+. “Because of stunning novels like All the Truth That’s In Me and The Passion of Dolssa, I’ve become a big fan of Julie Berry. She’s a talented writer who’s not afraid to take risks. I love that about her, even if her newest—The Emperor’s Ostrich—is a risk that didn’t work all that well for me. Although I enjoyed it overall, the story did seem overly long and it got confusing in places. Despite a few dull spots, though, it’s a fun, zany adventure that will appeal to kids who like fairy tales (which I never was, which probably explains why I didn’t like this one as much as Berry’s others). With a strong female lead who’s brave and independent but also a team player, the tale offers a refreshing spin on a conventional genre that should delight girls who prefer to rescue themselves rather than wait around for Prince Charming to do it for them. Even though The Emperor’s Ostrich is not my favorite Berry novel, I still think it’s worth the read for fairy-tale lovers who like quirky adventure stories infused with magic and mayhem.”
Carolyn Twede Frank. Heart of the West (Jennie Hansen, Meridian). “The characters in this story are likable, but a little cliché. The setting is a small town set on a high desert plateau, surrounded by ranches and large tracts of government owned land where stock can graze by permit. All the usual arguments concerning the dispute between sheep and cattle ranchers are deployed–the sheep ruin the land by grazing the grass too tightly, the cattlemen assume a right to the land because they were there first and have always run their cattle on the areas the government claims, and so on. The plot is somewhat predictable, but then, romances are generally predictable. It’s the journey that’s fun to follow.”
Alison K. Hymas. Under Locker and Key (Bloggin’ ‘bout Books) B-. “The first installment in a new middle grade series starring the intrepid Jeremy Wilderson. It features a fun, exciting adventure that will grab readers’ attention and not let it go. With plenty of action, humor, and heart, the tale should especially appeal to boys and reluctant readers. Jeremy’s antics definitely get far-fetched, but that’s part of the tale’s allure. Character development is not this novel’s strength, true. Still, overall, Under Locker and Key is an enjoyable story that will hook kids’ interest and keep them engaged until the last page.”
Sandra Clark Jergensen & Shelah Mastny Miner. Seasons of Change (Spunky, Exponent II). Highly recommended. Talks about several of the pieces in detail.
Bryan Moore. The Memoery Thief (Bloggin’ ‘bout Books) B-. “Despite its intriguing premise, I didn’t hold out a lot of hope for The Memory Thief. I was pleasantly surprised, then, to discover that it’s an atmospheric, imaginative novel that’s unexpectedly thought-provoking. Yes, the story has a lot more potential than its execution indicates, but overall, it tells an intriguing tale. The characters aren’t anything special, the prose is more tell-y than show-y, and I didn’t feel a lot of emotion between the characters. Still, I ended up liking this unsettling little tale about the importance of remembering—and learning from—everything that happens to us, both the good and the bad.”
Chad Morris and Shelly Brown. Mustaches for Maddie (Bloggin’ ‘bout Books) B+. “A middle grade novel based on the authors’ daughter’s experience battling a brain tumor. Despite its heavy subject matter, the book tells a sweet, uplifting story that’s more stirring than scary. While Maddie seems a little immature for a 12-year-old girl, she’s a likable heroine who’s quirky, brave, and caring. Disease novels often get cheesy or saccharine; this one is touching without being at all syrupy. I’ve met Morris and Brown, even been in their home, and what strikes me about Mustaches for Maddie is that it exudes the genuine warmth that radiates from these kind, down-to-earth authors. I thoroughly enjoyed their book about kindness, compassion, and community and hope that everyone who reads it will wholeheartedly embrace its important message.”
Jennifer A. Nielsen. The Mark of the Thief Trilogy (Bloggin’ ‘bout Books) B-. “With lots of action to keep readers immersed, Mark of the Thief offers an exciting story that moves along at a fast clip. Plot twists are fairly predictable as are the characters, who definitely need more development. Still, Nic is an admirable hero whose loyalty, honor, and compassion keep him root-worthy. While I didn’t love the novel, I liked it enough to want to know what would happen in the next book.”
Jenny Proctor. Wrong for You (Jesse Christensen). “Jenny Proctor’s romance book was one of my favorites that I read for the Whitneys last year. Perhaps I was looking forward to this one too much, because it didn’t quite meet my expectations. I do like that Proctor sets her books among Mormons in North Carolina, without a lot of the conventional trappings of multi-generational Utah Mormon culture. I also liked all the characters in this book (and especially like the inclusion of some ethnic diversity), but the central conflict and actual relationship just didn’t work for me. The things keeping the characters apart could have been resolved rather easily and I just didn’t feel like the stakes were very high or that any of the characters grew or changed as much as they could have. It was not a bad book by any means, but not my favorite by Jenny Proctor.”
Melinda Sue Sanchez. The Fisherman’s Daughter (Jennie Hansen, Meridian) 5 stars. “A powerful story with strong, convincing characters. At first I found Mariana too immature for almost eighteen, but she grows and matures greatly through the story. I also found too many similar names, all starting with the same letter. It was refreshing to read a story that highlighted the Italian resistance effort rather than dismissing Italy as part of the axis that united Mussolini and Hitler. Careful research is revealed in the timeline of the story and ties in well with the plot arc. The author reveals a convincing familiarity with the coastal cities and rural stretches of Sicily as well as the harbors and markets. The author shows real skill in tying a compelling story to historic facts.”
Obert Skye. Mutant Bunny Island (Bloggin’ Bout Books) B-. “I’m not generally a fan of silly tales like Mutant Bunny Island, so I was surprised by how much I ended up enjoying this zany mystery. It’s wacky and campy and kooky and, overall, a lot of fun. A quick read with lots of engaging comic book-style illustrations (by Eduardo Vieira), Mutant Bunny Island will appeal to reluctant readers who dig graphic novels and fast-paced, easy-to-read adventure stories. I’m not sure I’ll be seeking out more Obert Skye books (although his newest, Wizard for Hire, looks good), but I didn’t end up hating this one like I thought I would. In fact, I quite liked it in all its goofy glory.”
Elaine Vickers. Paper Chains (Bloggin’ ‘bout Books) B-. “A tender, touching story about a burgeoning friendship with all its charms and challenges. Both of our heroines are sympathetic and likable. It’s simple to root for the survival of their friendship. There’s a lot going on in their lives, maybe too much, as the story sometimes feels unfocused. The plot gets far-fetched as well, but overall, this is an engaging tale that teaches some valuable lessons about friendship, family, and fighting for what’s really important.”
Tara Westover. Educated (Alec MacGillis, New York Times). “Tara Westover’s new tale of escape, makes [J. D. Vance’s Hillbilly Elegy] seem tame by comparison . . . Where Vance describes a family contending with the all-too-common burdens of substance abuse, Westover lays bare a family cursed by ideological mania and outlandish physical trauma. If Vance’s memoir offered street-heroin-grade drama, Westover’s is carfentanil, the stuff that tranquilizes elephants. The extremity of Westover’s upbringing emerges gradually through her telling, which only makes the telling more alluring and harrowing. The extremity of Westover’s upbringing emerges gradually through her telling, which only makes the telling more alluring and harrowing . . . By the end, Westover has somehow managed not only to capture her unsurpassably exceptional upbringing, but to make her current situation seem not so exceptional at all, and resonant for many others. She is but yet another young person who left home for an education, now views the family she left across an uncomprehending ideological canyon, and isn’t going back.”
Becca Wilhite. Check Me Out (Bloggin’ ‘bout Books) B+. “I’ve enjoyed Becca Wilhite‘s previous two novels, so I’ve been anxious to read her newest, Check Me Out. The fact that it features a library setting and the cutest bookish cover art ever? Icing on the cake, baby. Not surprisingly, I really enjoyed this contemporary romance about learning to appreciate someone for their inner gifts in spite of what they look like on the outside. Given the novel’s premise, there’s no way its heroine could come off as anything but superficial and Greta definitely does. While she proves herself capable in many ways, she’s still self-centered and immature. Kind, self-deprecating Will lacks a backbone but is otherwise a perfect, non-traditional hero. While he’s much easier to like than Greta, their love story remains swoony and sweet. It’s predictable, of course, but Wilhite does throw in a compelling subplot that adds a little more depth and interest to the tale. On the whole, I ended up liking this fun, upbeat novel. If you fancy light, clean romances that are engaging and enjoyable, definitely check this one out (pun intended).”
Theater
George D. Nelson and Maclain Nelson, book. Jordan Kamalu, music and lyrics. Single Wide. BYU, March 27-April 7, 2018. “Katy may live in a tiny trailer in an even tinier trailer park, but that doesn’t stop her from having enormous dreams. A story of challenge, determination, grit, and hope, this new musical makes it’s BYU debut following an acclaimed, sold-out run at the New York Musical Festival. Featuring a toe-tapping country/pop score, Single Wide will inspire you to reach for the stars and follow your dreams.”
Utah Theater Bloggers Association. “Single Wide grew out of a 
collaborations between a BYU theater professor and a number of talented students. The play received a professional audition and some prestigious awards at the 2015 New York Musical Theater Festival. Back home again in Utah it went through polishing rewrites and expansion. The result? A musical with genuine Broadway potential . . . The focus of the play is not on the characters’ past problems but on their current, cheerfully flawed behavior. What could be stereotype becomes shorthand for the troubles that have landed them in their present circumstances. It is obvious that the playwrights have written with empathy rather than contempt for their “trailer trash” protagonists . . . What makes the show a winner is the underlying sense of non-judgmental acceptance of every character. This isn’t a “This is Me” style celebration of idiosyncrasies, but rather a feeling that each person is valuable even if their imperfections cause grief. The characters in Single Wide are treasures, not trash, just the way they are. And even if they reside in mobile homes that are decidedly immobile, they are determined to keep on trying to move up. The characters may not conform to the BYU Honor Code, but they embody the faith, hope, and charity that is at the core of the BYU values. In a world full of divisiveness there is a need for art that that cheers for connection. Likewise, Single Wide is a musical that is not only well worth seeing now, but, given a chance, could very likely succeed on a larger stage. Here’s hoping for its eventual triumphant return to New York City.”
Melissa Leilani Larson. Mountain Law. Plan-B Theatre reading, March 7. “In the fall of 1850, Tamson English has been alone with three young children on the Western frontier for more than a year. Food is running short, and there are no signs of the promised settlers who should have arrived months ago to relieve her. Haunted by guilt over an extramarital affair, Tamson convinces herself that God has trapped her in the wilderness as a punishment for her sins. When she prays for a reprieve, an old friend appears at her door—but it’s hard to know whether his coming is a miracle or a curse.”
Ariel Mitchell. The Shower Principle. New York Theater Festival, Hudson Guild Theater, NYC, March 8, 10, 11. “The Shower Principle is a one woman led experiment into motherhood. Taking place over the six weeks of her maternity leave from an engineering position at a dental tool company, Liz discusses trials, challenges, shifts, and joys in her new occupation.”
Film
Trek: The Movie. Alan Peterson, director. David Howard (writer of Galaxy Quest) and Jongiorni Enos, writers. April 6 release. Daily Herald feature story. Deseret News feature story.
Sean Means, Salt Lake Tribune. 2.5 stars. “Like most church activities, how much one gets out of the LDS-themed comedy-drama “Trek” depends on what one brings to it. The jokes about Mormon culture and the quick-sketch depictions of teens and adults on a pioneer re-enactment trek (“Mormon cosplay,” as one character calls it) will draw knowing chuckles and nods of recognition from the LDS target audience. The main story — about a teen, Tom (Austin R. Grant), reluctantly going on trek while questioning his faith after a friend’s untimely death — is powerful enough to carry the film’s message over the occasional dry spots in the low-budget production. The faithful will enjoy this movie, while others likely will scratch their heads.”
Not Cinderella’s Type. Brian Brough, director. Jenni James, Brittany Wiscombe, writers. Based on a Jenni James novel. The premiere is Monday Feb 26th at 7:00pm at the Scera Theater in Orem. Then it went to Amazon Prime and other online platforms.
Reign of Judges: Title of Liberty. Darin Southam, director/writer. A 15 minute version was screened in St. George. The article talks about the Kickstarter fundraising campaign for the Book of Mormon movie.
The LDS Film Festival took place in Orem February 26 to March 3, 2018. Here are some of the awards.
Feature Film:
Best Feature Film – Not Cinderella’s Type, directed by Brian Brough.
2nd Place – Instrument of War, directed by Adam Anderegg.
3rd Place – Trek, directed by Alan Peterson.
Audience Choice – Instrument of War
Feature Documentary:
Best Feature Documentary – Man in the Camo Jacket, directed by Adam Anderegg.
2nd Place – Off The Tracks
3rd Place – (tie) Hidden Bloodlines/Mystery Stone
Audience Choice – Man in the Camo Jacket
Short Film:
Best Short Film – Scarlett-Angelina
2nd Place – Maggie, written and directed by Lindsay Kampenhaut.
3rd Place – I Love My Robot Boyfriend! written and directed by Sariah May.
Audience Choice – Hey Brooklyn, written and directed by Cameron Babock.
Jordan Kamalu reports “A commercial I scored with the BYU ad lab earlier this year won the Student Grand Prize in the international ANDY Awards (for advertising). It also won the ADDY Gold at the local level, and is moving up to the next level in that competition as well. So many thanks to Chris Petersen for letting me be involved on this project with other talented folks!”
Literary criticism
(The following is a book published in 2015 that I had not noticed before, and I want to put it on the record)
Patty Campbell, with Chris Crowe. Spirituality in Young Adult Literature: The Last Taboo (Studies in Young Adult Literature). Rowman & Littlefield, June 24, 2015.
Spirituality in Young Adult Literature: The Last Taboo tackles a subject rarely portrayed in fiction aimed at teens. In this volume, Patty Campbell examines not only realistic fiction, but young adult literature that deals with mysticism, apocalyptical end times, and even YA novels that depict the Divine Encounter. Campbell maintains that fantasy works are inherently spiritual, because the plots nearly always progress toward a showdown between good and evil. As such, the author surmises that the popularity of fantasy among teens may represent their interest in the mystical dimensions of faith and the otherworldly. In this study, Campbell examines works of fiction that express perspectives from Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Sikhism. Distinguished YA novelist Chris Crowe provides a chapter on Mormon values and Mormon YA authors and how their novels integrate those values into their books.
Booklist: “As YA specialist Campbell rightly asserts, spirituality is largely missing in the young adult literature published by the major U.S. houses. She also notes the inherent interest that teens have about spiritual matters, mentioning how fantasy often deals with issues of good versus evil. There are chapters sorted by organized religions, but Campbell realizes that spirituality is a larger concept. To that end, the book includes chapters that discuss books addressing death and the afterlife (but not zombies), end times and Apocalypse, mysticism, and the ‘divine encounter.’ The remaining chapters cover a selected list of contemporary YA literature published by mainstream publishers (as opposed to religious presses). The vast majority of YA literature covered is Christian (and Protestant). Surprisingly, Campbell found few Jewish YA novels that focused on spirituality, and she includes Holocaust literature as it reflects how religion helps sustain those victims. Similarly, Islam and Hindi YA novels tend to address the impact that those organized religions have on the daily life of teens, especially girls, more than on spiritual journeys. . . .YA author and member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Chris Crowe provides the last chapter, which begins by explaining LDS spirituality and values and then discusses popular LDS authors, such as Stephenie Meyers and Orson Scott Card. He also discusses non-Mormon YA authors whose writing reflects Mormon values. The volume concludes with a bibliography of secular YA literature with spiritual themes published between 1967 and 2015, including YA novels with negative treatments of organized religion, short stories, and two poetry collections. There is also a detailed index. This volume offers some good issues to think about, and it highlights representative titles of major religions and some spiritual themes. Few such references exist, so this work is a good start.”
Bestsellers
Feb. 25, March 4, 11, 18, 25, April 1, 8, 15
Tara Westover. Educated
USA Today: x, x, #10, #33, #44, #33, #46, #76 (6weeks)
PW Hardcover Non-Fiction: x, x, #4, #6, #7, #7, #10 (5 weeks) 13,042, 11,142, 8346, 8010, 7648 units. 48,188 total.
NY Times Hardcover Non-Fiction: x, x, #3, #4, #3, #3, #4, #6 (6 weeks)
Christine Feehan. Covert Game
USA Today: x, x, x, x, x, x, #8, x (1 week)
PW Hardcover: x, x, x, x, x, x, #10 (1 week) 7116 units
NYT Combined Print/Ebook Fiction: x, x, x, x, x, x, x, #7, x (1 week)
Christine Feehan. Judgement Road
USA Today: #72, #127, x, x, x, x, x (4 weeks)
PW Mass Market: #9, #12, #19, x, x, x, x (5 weeks). 6333, 4898, 4001 units. 50,425 total
RaeAnne Thayne. The Valentine Two-Step
USA Today: #121, x, x, x, x, x, x (2 weeks)
PW Mass Market: #6, #6, #16, x, x, x, x (4 weeks). 8160, 6477, 4290 units. 26,939 total.
Anne Perry. Callander Square
USA Today: x, x, #144, x, x, x, x (1 week)
Brandon Sanderson, Rik Hoskin. White Sand, Vol. 2
PW Hardcover Fiction: x, x, #19, x, x, x, x (1 week). 3485 units.
PW Graphic Novel: x, #5
Tricia Levenseller. Daughter of the Siren Queen
PW Children’s Frontlist: x, x, x, #20, x, x, x (1 week). 2998 units.