The end-of-the-year “Best Books” lists have been announced. Tara Westover’s memoir Educated is listed in many of them. It is surely the most widely read and commented-on Mormon-related literary work in many years. Noah Van Scriver also was on two major comics lists for his memoir One Dirty Tree and his graphic novel A Perfect Failure: Fante Bukowski 3. The novelists Mackenzi Lee, Brandon Sanderson, and Kiersten White also appeared on at least two lists each.
The Salt Lake Tribune reported on a shift at Deseret Book against producing books with the word “Mormon” in the title. It is not insisting, however, that other publishers also follow their lead in order for their books to be sold at Deseret Book bookstores. I recently realized that the educator and former AML President Bob Hogge passed away in 2017. Bob was instrumental in AML’s entrance into the internet in 1995.
Among the new books featured in this review are All Made of Hinges, the first in a trilogy of Mormon steampunk short story anthologies and Brad Torgersen’s science fiction A Star-Wheeled Sky. Cindy Baldwin’s middle grade novel Where the Watermelons Grow and the first in Kiersten White’s new Buffy the Vampire Slayer series Slayer both received starred reviews. There is lots of comics and graphic novels that I recently found out about. And there are two Argentina-American authors featured. Please send questions and suggestions for future posts to mormonlit AT gmail DOT com.
Best of the Year Books
The Mormon-related book which appeared on by far the most end-of-the-year “Best Books” lists was Tara Westover’s memoir Educated. Educated was both a critical and commercial success. It was one of the best-selling non-fiction books of the year. For months, before Michelle Obama’s memoir was released, it was the best-selling memoir of the year. Although Westover no longer identifies as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, for most of the book she portrays herself as a Mormon. Although she presents her parents as having a variety of fanatical ideas, she is often positive about her time as a member of the Church, and her experiences at BYU. Here are some of the lists that Educated appears on:
New York Times 10 Best Books of 2018, 100 Notable Books of 2018. “Westover’s extraordinary memoir is an act of courage and self-invention. The youngest of seven children, she grew up in Idaho, in a survivalist family who lived so far off the grid that she lacked even a birth certificate and did not attend school until she went to college. Getting in wasn’t obvious: At home, reading meant studying the Bible and the Book of Mormon, and much of her childhood was spent helping her mother, an unlicensed midwife, and her father, a paranoid man who maintained a scrap-metal junkyard. In recounting her upbringing and her triumph over it — she would earn a Ph.D. in history at Cambridge — Westover took great risks and alienated family members. The reward is a book that testifies to an irrepressible thirst to learn.”
#1 on the Amazon Best Books of 2018 list. Also the Amazon Non-Fiction #8 Best-seller.
Publishers Weekly Best 10 Books of 2018.
Mental Floss. Best Books of 2018 (56 total)
Indigo Best Books of 2018, #1.
Barnes & Noble Best Fiction and Non-fiction of 2018 (15 total)
Audible Best Memoirs and Bios winner.
O, The Oprah Magazine’s Best books of 2018 (15 total)
Time Magazine’s Best books of 2018 (30 total)
Barack Obama’s favorite books of 2018 (29 total). Bill Gates interview.
Goodreads Choice Awards Memoir and Autobiography: #1. 57,938 votes (just beating out Michele Obama’s memoir).
Here are other Mormon-authored books that appeared on end-of-the-year lists.
Noah Van Scriver made two Best of Comics 2018 lists: the Boston Globe and The Comics Beat.
Boston Globe: One Dirty Tree is a painful, moving memoir about [Noah Van Sciver]’s troubled, mostly absent, parents, impoverished Mormon upbringing (the title comes from the nickname his siblings gave to the family homestead) and its impact on his creative work, family, and personal relationships.
The Comics Beat list includes two Van Scriver works.
Many years from now, we may see 2018 as the annus mirabilis for Noah Van Sciver. Over the course of this year alone, the now-South Carolina-based cartoonist released four books—two graphic novels, a sketchbook, and a small-press comic—all of extremely high quality and maturity. While the sketchbook and the comic, Constant Companion and Blammo #10 respectively, are informative as diaries of Van Sciver’s growth as a storyteller and artist, it’s the two graphic novels that are worthy of the most praise. One Dirty Tree and A Perfect Failure: Fante Bukowski 3 display Van Sciver’s deftness at navigating the precariousness of emotional tones in two different directions.One Dirty Tree is a family memoir that is, at times, absolutely heartbreaking and viscerally shocking. In conveying the early part of his childhood, Van Sciver is stark, frank, and bleak. Interwoven with vignettes of his childhood and adolescence, One Dirty Tree also examines the pivotal time when Van Sciver left his twenties and a long-term relationship. An inward-thinking writer with an eye trained on the humanist aspect of every situation, Van Sciver’s dealing with the deterioration of his romantic relationship hits just as hard as seeing his family struggles. It is powerful work.On the flip side is Fante Bukowski 3, the final arc of the Fante Bukowski saga, is one of funniest and most pointed satires of the year. The eponymous Fante—the poster child for millennial mediocrity—skewers not only the publishing industry, wannabe artistic savants, and egomaniacs everywhere, it also shows the human side of the character tropes; their wants and needs. Fante could easily have been a horrible person, let alone a stereotypical literary poser. But he’s more than that. He’s a person with flaws and dreams. And Van Sciver allows us to both laugh at and root for Fante. To elicit such dichotomous reactions is rare, but it’s so effortless here. Van Sciver’s contributions this year are among his best work and some of the best in independent cartooning.
Goodreads Choice Awards
Young Adult Fiction: #5 Mackenzi Lee. The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy. 17,769 votes. #11 Kasie West. Love, Life, List. 4758 votes.
Young Adult Fantasy and Science Fiction: #16 Brandon Sanderson. Skyward. 3269 votes.
Middle Grade and Children’s: #18 Brandon Mull. Wrath of the Dragon King. 1236 votes. #20 Amy Makechnie. The Unforgettable Guinevere St. Clair. 768 votes.
NPR 2018 Book Concierge. 319 recommended books from 2018. Includes Tara Westover, Educated. Kiersten White. The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein.
Barnes and Noble Best Science Fiction & Fantasy of 2018(15 total). Includes Brandon Sanderson, Oathbringer.
Audiofile Best Audiobooks of 2019. Includes Mackenzi Lee. The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy.
Charlie Holmberg’s Veins of Gold was listed as one of Barnes & Noble Top 20 Favorite Indie Books of 2018.“Hidden magic and the historical western setting makes this a unique tale coupled with talented writing.”
News and blog posts
The Salt Lake Tribune ran on article on Deseret Book’s future plans for use of the term “Mormon” in books published by the publisher and sold in the bookstore. The story started when two authors with books published at the independent Cedar Fort Publishing & Media, which had “Mormon” in the title, were told by the company that they needed to change the titles of their books, because they were told that Deseret Book was requiring the change to run the books in their store. Following up on this, the Trib reporter contacted Deseret Book for clarification. The article says:
“The bookstore chain and publishing company —owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ Deseret Management Corp. —says going forward it plans to publish only titles that meet the faith’s new naming guidelines.‘I don’t want to say we will never do anything with ‘LDS’or ‘Mormon’in it,’ Laurel Day, Deseret Book’s vice president for product and branding, said Wednesday, ‘but we are committed to following the guidelines and respecting what is being asked of us.’Day said Deseret Book does not plan to pull titles off the shelves, but, as current stock runs out, ‘we will look at it and see if a new title is appropriate.’While Deseret Book is reviewing its own titles, Day said, ‘we are not mandating that other publishers follow that.’But their “Mormon” and “LDS”titles will undergo similar scrutiny before Deseret Book will sell them in its stores, so outside publishers have been told to ‘be mindful of the usage of those terms’ in any new books.
Loyd Ericson, the editor at Greg Kofford Books, an independent publisher which produces many academic Mormon Studies books (and the person whose inquiries drove this story), contacted Deseret Book for further clarification, after the article came out. He reports:
“I just got off the phone with a VP from Deseret Book. She said that they have not made any changes nor plan on making any changes to their buying from other publishers.
She said that while DB will no longer use Mormon or LDS in their own books (except for Book of Mormon, etc), that they recognize that other publishers–especially scholarly ones in Mormon Studies–will need to continue to use “Mormon” because there isn’t another term that works for them.”
Issue 4 of the Spanish-language Mormon literature newsletter El Pregonero de Deseret is out, bringing to a close the first year of this quarterly publication. At 19 pages, this is the longest issue of year one. It includes: Three poems, an article introducing the LDS Writers’ Association of Perú, a review of “San Rafael”, a novel by Elisabet Zapiæn, a young Mexican author. An author spotlight on Gabriel González Núñez, a short story by Honduran author Bayardo de Campoluna, and a comics page out of the February 1937 issue of El Atalaya de México.
Sunstone announces the 2018 Eugene England Personal Essay Contest Winners.
1st Place: “The Process of Staying,” by Susan Meredith Hinckley. For many people, it looks like Hinckley, with her independent ways, is in the process of leaving the LDS Church. But she argues that she’s actually in the process of staying.
2nd Place: “Fledglings,” by Dayna Kidd Patterson. Raising daughters in the LDS Church, and in America, is a difficult undertaking. Among the tools one needs to succeed are seagulls, Star Trek, and King Lear.
Honorable Mention: “The Gods Step Out of Their Hiding Place: Meditations on Divine Presence,” by Tyler Chadwick. A flock of doves, Walt Whitman, and Emma Lou Thayne come together in this meditation on how words guide the soul and the community it is part of.
Linda Hoffman Kimball interviews Carol Lynn Pearson at Segullah. They discuss her poetry and her activism.
Segullah contest Prose, Poetry, and Fine Art contest. Deadline: Jan. 31.
Conor Hilton blogs on ideas for future LDS Church history-themed films.
Mette Ivie Harrison. “Mormon Mysteries: Who are they for? A “neutral” Mormon mysteries reading list.”
John Turner interview with Megan Sanborn Jones, about Mormon pageants.
Larkin Weyand, “We Will Be a Thing.” An excerpt of a forthcoming novel, published in 15 Bytes. Weyand teaches composition at BYU.
Author Eric James Stone has been writing about the Science Fiction Writers of America and their changing position on whether stories published by the Scientology-backed Writers of the Future Contest can count towards membership in the SWFA.
The 2019 AML Conference will be held in Berkeley, CA, March 29-31. We welcome both academic and non-academic papers and presentations. Academic papers will be presented primarily on Friday (March 29), while Saturday (March 30) will primarily focus on non-academic proposals. We encourage presentations, panels, readings, workshops, debates, and other ways to discuss and showcase Mormon Letters in ways that will appeal to a broad audience. Proposals should be no more than 300 words and include the title of the presentation as well as any audio/visual requirements. Send proposals to conference@associationmormonletters.org by January 15.
Magazines
The Fall issue of Dialogue: a journal of Mormon thought commemorates the lifting of the priesthood ban. It includes poetry by Dayna Kidd Patterson, Kevin Klein, and Kathryn Knight Sonntag. From the pulpit by Molly Bennion. And the following reviews:
Gail Turley Houston reviews Dove Song: Heavenly Mother in Mormon Poetry, edited by Tyler Chadwick, Dayna Patterson, and Martin Pulido. Karen Moloney reviews Robert Rees’ poetry collection Waiting for Morning. Edward Whitley reviews two poetry books: Karen Kelsay Davies’ Of Omens that Flitter and Javen Tanner’s The God Mask. Alison Maeser Brimley reviews Ryan Shoemaker’s short story collectionBeyond the Lights. Devery S. Anderson reviews Matthew L. Harris and Newell G. Bringhurst’s The Mormon Church & Blacks: A Documentary History.
Sunstone, Fall 2018, #187. Includes: Essays: Arnold Lobel and Me, by Martha Taysom. Low and the Hermeneutics of Silence, by Jacob Bender. Poured Out Like Water, by Charlotte Johnson Willian. Book reviews by Bert Fuller.
Fiction: Jesus Christ (Almost) Visits the Mormons, by Ryan Shoemaker. Tower, by Ryan McIlvain. A Dove and a Serpent, by Tom Kimball. 420 North, by Alex Peterson.
Theology: The Carpenter’s Union: Salvator Mundi, by Robert A. Rees. Flesh, Language, Sacrament, by Tyler Chadwick.
Poetry by J. S. Absher, Anita Tanner, and R. A. Christmas.
Book of Mormon Studies. Vol. 27, 2018. Includes a review of the poetry collection WoO by Renee Angle. Reviewed by Kylan Rice, and a review of As Iron Sharpens Iron: Listening to the Various Voices of Scripture by Julie M. Smith, reviewed by Andrew C. Smith.
Podcasts
The Cultural Hall interviewed Jake Johnson, an Assistant Professor of Musicology at Oklahoma State University. His upcoming book, Mormons, Musical Theater, and Belonging in America, evaluates how Mormons frame their religious identity by, and perform a unique theology through, conventions of American musical theater. The conversation centers around the creation of the musical Promised Valley in the 1940s, situating the attempt at creating a “Mormon Oklahoma” as part of the 20th century effort at reclaiming whiteness.
Mormon Arts Center podcast. Glen Nelson talks with Brigham Barnes about LDS allusions in the novels of James Joyce. It includes allusions to the Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, and other LDS things in Joyce’s novels Ulysses and Finnegans Wake. The podcast also includes an excerpt from an unreleased opera adapted from Joyce’s story, “The Dead,” with music by Murray Boren and libretto by Glen Nelson. For good measure, the podcast starts with a 1920 recording by Irish tenor John McCormack that has such astonishing breath control that it should come with a depression warning for opera singers (who can’t hope to measure up).
Maxwell Institute/Conversations with Terryl Givens, interviews author and filmmaker Margaret Blair Young about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Congo, faith transitions, spiritual healing, writing, and more.
2018 Life, the Universe, and Everything Symposium session video: “Putting LDS Themes in Fiction”. Not all LDS writers write LDS fiction, but their principles still influence their work. Learn how to use LDS themes without being overtly religious. Featuring Brandon Mull, Dave Butler, Josi Russell, and Scott R. Parkin.
In Memoriam
Robert “Bob” Melton Hogge, 75, of Layton, Utah, passed away on July 16, 2017 at Mountain View Care Center in South Ogden, Utah. Bob Hogge was the AML President in 1995-1996. I am sorry we did not mention his death before. The following information is mostly taken from the Standard Examiner obituary.
Bob was born on November 10, 1941 in Pocatello, Idaho. He grew up in Grand Junction Colorado where he graduated from high school. Bob attended BYU in Provo prior to serving a full-time mission in Paris France. He returned to BYU to complete both his undergraduate and graduate degrees in American Literature. It was while attending BYU that he met his sweetheart, Jeanette “Jan” Walker and on September 6, 1967 they were married in the Salt Lake Temple.
In 1969 he joined the military. While serving in the military he completed his Ph.D in Modern American Literature at the University of Arizona. He went on to serve for 20 years in the Air Force which took Bob and his young family to many places throughout the United States. He also completed one tour of duty in Korea. Over a quarter of his service in the military was spent teaching at the Air Force Academy in Colorado and he completed his military career teaching English in the ROTC program at East Texas State University. He retired from the military at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in 1989, and moved his family to Utah where he gained employment as a professor of English at Weber State University. He retired from Weber State in 2015 after 23 years of teaching.
Bob was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints his entire adult life and served in a multitude of callings including, Bishop, Branch President, Stake High Council, Stake Presidency and many teaching positions. He also served for two years in the Ogden temple.
In all that he did, he placed family first in his life. He stayed close to his children and grandchildren and had dinner with extended family every Sunday from the time his oldest grandchild was born, until his heath necessitated residency in a care facility. His children knew him to be a man of strong moral principle, a person who set an exemplary standard in all things, and a spiritual giant.
He was a talented orator, a gifted writer, a hearty gardener and athletic for most of his life. Well into his 60’s he enjoyed a good game of racquetball and it was common for friends to see Bob walking the considerable distance from his home to catch the bus on Highway 89 every day to work.
Hogge was a scholar of 20thCentury American literature, particularly Hemingway. His poetry, essays, and stories have appeared in BYU Studies, Texture, Innisfree, Daedalus, Weber Studies, the Ensign, and Irreantum.
He served on the AML Board in 1990-1993. He was the AML Vice-President in 1994-1995, and President in 1995-1996. While he was President, he and Levi Peterson helped Benson Parkinson set up AML-list, an internet discussion group which changed the nature of the organization, on the Weber State server. He actively participated on AML-list from 1995 to 2000. His Presidential Address at the 1996 AML Conference was entitled “Mormon Literature in Cyberspace: The New Frontier.” It discussed the creation of AML-list, as well as Gideon Burton’s creation of a “Mormon Literature Website.” This marked the start of a major change in AML, as it went from a largely face-to-face organization, which sponsored occasional readings and produced a quarterly newsletter mailed to the members, into what has become a largely on-line organization.
Bob Hogge’s published works:
The Stone Rolls Forth: A History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Southeastern Colorado. Horizon, 1988.
“Twentieth-Century Medievalism in Hemingway”. Hemingway: Up in Michigan Perspectives. Michigan State University Press, 1993.
“Levels of Perception in Michael Fillerup’s Visions and Other Stories.” 1991 AML Symposium, 1994 AML Annual.
1996 AML Presidential Address. “Mormon Literature in Cyberspace: The New Frontier.” 1997 AML Annual.
“A Gathering of Mormon Poets: My Quest for the Poetic: A Reading and Commentary”. 2000 AML Annual.
“War Is Eternal: The Case for Military Preparedness”. Dialogue, Spring 2004.
Book Reviews:
William G. Hartley. My Best for the Kingdom: History and Autobiography of John Lowe Butler, A Mormon Frontiersman. Dialogue, Summer 1997.
Robert C. Freeman and Dennis A . Wright, Saints at War: Korea and Vietnam. Dialogue, Summer 2004.
Hugh Nibley and Alex Nibley. Sergeant Nibley PhD: Memories of an Unlikely Screaming Eagle.Journal of Mormon History.Fall 2007.
Yasuo Kuwahara, Gordon T. Allred. Kamikaze: A Japanese Pilot’s Own Spectacular Story of the Infamous Suicide Squadrons. Rocky Mountain Review of Language and Literature, Fall 2007.
Marcie Gallacher and Kerri Robinson. A Banner Is Unfurled and Be Still My Soul. Journal of Mormon History 34:3, Summer 2008.
Sherman L. Fleek. Place the Headstones Where They Belong: Thomas Neibaur, WWI Soldier. Journal of Mormon History. Spring 2010.
Roger P. Minert. In Harm’s Way: East German Latter-day Saints in World War II. Journal of Mormon History. Winter 2011.
Sherman L. Fleek. History May Be Searched in Vain: A Military History of the Mormon Battalion. Journal of Mormon History. Winter2012
Allan Kent Powell, ed. Nels Anderson’s World War I Diary. Journal of Mormon History. April 2015.
Aaron McArthur. “St. Thomas, Nevada: A History Uncovered”. Journal of Mormon History. July 2017.
Richard Brown Horsly. The beloved Husband, Father, Grandfather, and Great Grandfather passed away on December 11, 2018 at Beehive Homes of American Fork, at the age of 87. He was born to Rulon and Patricia Horsley on September 27, 1931, in Salt Lake City, Utah. He met Shirley Snow in Cambridge, MA while he was there studying for a semester. They married in the Salt Lake Temple on June 9, 1958 and settled in Provo, UT to raise their family . . . Richard’s passion was family history and he loved to research the Pioneers of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. His legacy is Pioneer Book, which he opened in 1980, and which operates today on downtown Center Street in Provo. There he could be found taking time to talk to customers about their family heritage and providing valuable insight into their genealogy. His great love of books served him his whole life and connecting people to books was pure enjoyment for him.
New Books and their reviews
Michael Allred, Lee Allred, Rich Tommaso, and Laura Allred. Dick Tracy: Dead or Alive! IDW Publishing, Sept. 29. Comic. “The All-American detective just made the biggest collar of his career, and it only cost him his job! But now the honest cop has packed his bags for “the city by the lake,” and its criminals better watch out! Reimagined for the 21st century through a retro lens by the superstar team of Michael Allred, Lee Allred, Rich Tommaso and Laura Allred”. The start of a new comics series. Comics Crusaders review.
Cindy Baldwin. Where the Watermelons Grow. HarperCollins, July 3. Middle Grade novel. Debut.
SLJ (Starred review): When 12-year-old Della finds her mom digging black seeds from a watermelon in the middle of the night, she worries that the schizophrenia that put her mom in the hospital several years ago is back. Along with the stress of her mother’s illness, her dad is struggling to save the family farm as scorching hot temperatures and a drought threaten the crops. Della asks the local Bee Lady for magic honey, which has been known to repair the wounds of residents in their North Carolina town for generations. She also helps take care of her 16-month-old baby sister so that her mom will have more time to rest. But as her mom’s symptoms worsen, Della begins to see that rather than trying to fix her mama, she must find a way to love and accept her. The family is surrounded by helpful neighbors including Della’s best friend Arden’s family, who owns the farm next door. Della’s voice will tug at reader’s heartstrings as she tries to hold her family together. VERDICT Middle grade stories about mental illness, particularly those that focus on empathy and acceptance, are rare. This heartfelt story will stay with readers. A top choice.
PW: “In her debut novel, Baldwin presents a realistic portrayal of life with a mentally ill parent; the simultaneous confusion and frustrated anger ring true. There isn’t an easy answer to Della’s guilt and her mother’s illness, but, with the help of family and friends, Della begins to view her mother as she is—sick—and accept the support of those who love her.”
Kirkus: “This debut novel gushes with Southern charm and depicts a warm, compassionate community where white families like Della’s and Miss Tabitha’s live amicably alongside black families like Miss Lorena’s. This story’s as sweet as Della’s daddy’s watermelons but never saccharine.”
Joanna Barker. The Truth About Miss Ashbourne. Covenant, Nov. 1. Regency romance. Debut author. “Juliana Ashbourne may be just a governess, but the 19-year-old has dreams that are grander than her station and richer than the pitiful sum she has squirreled away in her jewelry box. When she receives notice that she has inherited a shockingly large amount from a grandfather she never knew, Julianna’s dream of opening a school for girls is suddenly within reach. There’s only one caveat. In order to get the money she must spend a month at Havenfield, the sprawling country estate where her mother grew up and from whence her mother was banned after eloping with an unsuitable man—Juliana’s beloved father. How can she accept such a bargain from the family that callously banished their own daughter, shunning her for the rest of her life?”
Bloggin’ ‘bout Books: B+. “Although I’m not a big romance fan, Regency love stories always entertain me with their light, frothy storylines; engaging, witty banter; and virtuous, likeable characters engaged in clean, wholesome romancing. I’ve come to expect (and accept) all the loosey-goosey plotting; cliché, too-good-to-be-true story people; and the same soap opera dramas playing out in the same stately parlors and gilded ballrooms. Because they’re more brain candy than soul food, it’s rare for me to really love a Regency novel. Which is why I found The Truth About Miss Ashbourne, a debut by Joanna Barker, such a delightful exception. With its engaging plot, well-developed characters, slow-burning romance, and skillful prose, it kept me thoroughly entertained. I loved the cast, especially Juliana, who kept surprising me even though I felt like I knew her. The romance developed predictably, but over time, which made it feel less insta-lovey than other Regency couplings. Although The Truth About Miss Ashbourne runs a little longer than I usually like these kinds of novels to go, I found I didn’t mind at all. In fact, I would eagerly read more books about these characters or at least by this talented new author on whom I will very definitely be keeping an eye.”
Jacob Proffitt. “This story could have used a good editor who might have started with telling her to chop the first 15% as completely irrelevant to the main story. That wouldn’t have solved the problems with characterization or with the author using this as a feminist diatribe against period attitudes towards women, though. I frankly skimmed to see where it was the story actually started. The author had already lost me when she had the main character delivering a rant on women being equal to men using Mary Wollstonecraft’s Vindication of the Rights of Women as her starting point. To children she teaches as their governess (the oldest being a 12 year-old girl). This behavior by a governess was as incongruous as the attempted seduction by the father was gratuitous . . . So on the one hand, you have the author give the main character progressive views about female empowerment. And on the other, you have the author have the main character unwilling to actually act for her own interests until acted upon by others and forced into doing the only reasonable/responsible thing. Which leads me to suspect that the real “truth” about Miss Ashbourne is that she’s a shallow author stand-in for feminist wish fulfillment in period dress.”
Jennie Hansen, Meridian. “The characters in this Regency novel are fun and likeable. The dialog is fresh and feels comfortable. The background and setting for the time period have been well researched. The plot moves along at a comfortable pace and builds to a satisfying conclusion. Regency fans will enjoy this one.”
Elizabeth Petty Bentley. Unseen Wounds. Parables, Nov. 28. Domestic drama. “Rae and Fitch, both doctors, decided before they got married that having children wasn’t for them. But when Rae turns thirty-three, she finds that a career simply isn’t enough. She wants a child. Fitch, however, is perfectly content and sees no reason to turn his whole life upside-down. And his wife’s longing soon triggers an irrational jealousy that threatens to drive her away altogether.”
Jennie Hansen, Meridian. “This novel deals with many problems relevant to today’s life questions, values, and part-member families. Portions of the story are brilliantly written, but there are some areas where an obvious solution or side bar is introduced, but goes nowhere. The characters are not all likeable, but they are believable. Several doctrinal questions concerning temple marriage are introduced and handled well. The ending is nice, but not completely realistic. Some readers may be bothered by the information given concerning attempts to become pregnant though these passages are not sexually explicit or lacking in good taste. I’ll admit I was unenthused about the first chapter, but as I got further into the story I found it absorbing and much more interesting. I think most readers will enjoy this very contemporary story.”
Sian Ann Bessey. The Gem Thief. Covenant, Nov. 1. Romance mystery.
Jennie Hansen, Meridian. “The Gem Thief is particularly well-written with believable characters and multiple realistic settings. The author’s own personal travel background adds realism to a story that spans multiple locations, countries, and cultures. The story is fast paced, original, and will satisfy readers looking for a challenging mystery, a clean contemporary romance, and those wishing to learn about faraway places and little known details of the art world.”
Dylan Chadwick. The Spirit Prison. Drug Dogs Zine, Fall. Profiles the dizzying plight of a religious missionary to control his thoughts and passions, while stationed in Los Angeles. For fans of god, the devil, bodily fluids, self-love/loathing, mental illness, death metal, and the color pink. For “mature” readers. 24 pages. Oversize Magazine format.
Heather Chapman. Forever Elle. Cedar Fort/Sweetwater, Dec. 12. Historical romance. Set on a ranch in the Tetons.
Julie Daines. From Ash and Stone. Covenant, Dec. 1. Historical romance. Set in the time of Henry VIII.
Mindy Holt. 5 stars. “This book is amazing. I loved everything about it. There is intrigue and mystery with every turn of the page. Right away, the reader is introduced to Margaret. She is amazing! Stubborn and enchanting. Her curse is very mysterious and I loved how she is hesitant to use it, even though it would help her in her quest to find those who killed her family. I enjoyed how the author waited to explain what happened to Margaret and her family. It was a wonderful way to keep me reading and reading. The plot and pacing of this book are expert! I also enjoyed Angus’s character. He is a wonderful hero, who tries as hard as he can to help Margaret. I looked forward to every page he was on.”
Brandon Dayton. Green Monk: Blood of the Martyrs. Image, Sept. 26. Comic. “The thrilling continuation of the YALSA award-winning comic. In a mythical Russia, a mysterious young boy is raised by an order of monks. As he grows to manhood, bizarre dreams and the call of destiny disturb the ideals of brotherhood and peace that define his idyllic home.”
Theric: This volume picks up long before the original independently published version—it’s an origin story, really. (Upon finishing Blood of the Martyrs, the first thing I wanted to do was reread that first book, but … I can’t find it. Dang it, Theric.) How the orphaned child was raised by monks. How, when he came of age, he first joined the monastery, then had to leave in order to redeem his sins. I loved the in media res-ness of the original, but this is a lovely and moving origin story. I hope it sells well and we get to hear many more tales of the Green Monk in years to come.
Christine Hayes. Attack of the Killer Earthlings. Self, Nov. 10. YA Fantasy.
“15-year-old Shaun Ramsay cleans her uncle’s movie theater in the middle of the night. She’s no fan of scrubbing bathrooms or working hideous hours, but she can cope. Motivating her best friend and co-worker Spence is tricky, but still under control. An imp movie buff named Jim, however, was not on her agenda. When Jim and his clan decide to make a movie of their own inside the theater—with Shaun and Spence in starring roles—life gets complicated. Especially since imps are known for turning perfectly good buildings into piles of rubble. Add an imp film festival, rival imp bullies, and an inconvenient crush to the mix, and Shaun may be in over her head.”
Theric Jepson. Served: A Missionary Comics Anthology. Mike Laughead Publishing. Hard copies are now available for Kickstarter supporters.
Marcia Maidana. Alive. Satin Romance, Oct. 30. WWII time-travel romance. Sequel to Awaken. Includes elements of mystery and magical realism. The author is originally from Argentina, now lives in Utah. English is her second language. Deseret News feature story about Maidana.
Yamile Saied Méndez. Blizzard Besties. Scholastic, Dec. 28. Young readers/middle grade.
Mendez is Argentinian-American. Vermont MFA. “Vanesa Campos can’t wait for winter vacation. Skiing on the slopes, sipping hot cocoa . . . her week at Pinecloud Lodge promises to be cozy and perfect. And maybe she can make some new friends! Never mind that glamorous Beck writes off Vanesa right away; twins Emma and Eric are ready to join the fun out in the snow.But when the flakes start falling, everything changes. Vanesa’s little brother, Hunter, might be stranded out in the blizzard! Vanesa will have to team up with all the kids — plus one giant dog — to rescue him. Can she save her brother and discover which real friends will weather the storm with her?”
Brenda Novak. Before We Were Strangers. Mira Books, Dec. 4. Mystery. A daughter investigates her mother’s murder, perhaps by her father.
Library Journal: “Twenty-three years ago, Sloane McBride’s mother vanished without a trace. Most people thought she’d just walked out on her difficult marriage, but five-year-old Sloane heard something that night that still makes her wonder. Now a world-famous model, Sloane is back in the small Texas town she fled at 18, determined to get some answers, even if they rip apart what’s left of her family. Fearing her powerful, autocratic father is somehow responsible but hoping she’s wrong, Sloane begins her search only to be challenged at every turn by those who will do anything to see that the past stays buried. But Sloane won’t give up, and as the danger grows, the passion between her and police officer Micah Evans, her high school ex, flares back into life, adding romance to a tale rife with jealousy, dysfunction, and deception. VERDICT: Realistic, often deeply flawed characters; well-handled multiple viewpoints; and a dark, twisty plot that will leave readers unsure until the very end keep the pages turning in this engrossing, insightful romantic thriller.”
Brittany Long Olsen. Comic Diaries, vol. 1. Self, Nov. 16. Autobiographical diary comic.
Jake Parker. SkyHeart Book 1: The Search for the Star Seed.Self, Aug. Fantasy graphic novel.
Theric: It’s been almost three years since I provided Jake with notes on the working script he shared with me and now I finally have the book in my hands and get to see how it turned out.
The short: it’s good. I won’t have a long, but here’s a medium: I love the characters as they were originally presented (as collected in Antler Boy) and it’s still hard for me when the pig and the whale show up and everyone doesn’t have the camaraderie that I loved from those original stories. But that aside, the story here in SkyHeart is stronger. This volume ends on a cliffhanger, but by the time that rolls round, we’re already fully invested in the world and our leads. For the Latter-day Saint reader, there are at least two nods to the endowment to watch for.
Nick Perkins. Cooties #11. Self, Nov. Comics. In a stand-alone story, Nate juggles cramming for a school project along with alien pet care.
Anne Perry. A Christmas Revelation. Ballentine, Nov. 6. Victorian Christmas mystery. Perry Christmas Story #16. Her annual Christmas novel. “Formerly a river urchin living on the banks of the Thames, nine-year-old Worm has never experienced a family Christmas. But thanks to a job at Hester Monk’s clinic in Portpool Lane, he’s found a makeshift family in kindly Miss Claudine Burroughs and curmudgeonly old bookkeeper Squeaky Robinson.When Worm witnesses the abduction of a beautiful woman by a pair of ruffians just days before Christmas, he frantically turns to Squeaky for help. What neither of the would-be saviors expects, however, is that the damsel in distress already has her dilemma well in hand . . . and is taking steps to bring her captors to justice for crimes far worse than kidnapping.”
Caitlin Sangster. Shatter the Suns. Simon Pulse, Nov. 13. YA fantasy. Last Star Burning #2.
Kirkus: “Guided by her mother’s last words, Sev embarks on a quest to find the cure to sleeping sickness, or SS. After watching her mother die and escaping the burning City in Last Star Burning (2017), Sev and her friends Tai-ge and June hide out in their heli. The goal is to find Port North, which Sev’s mother told her holds the cure to SS, but there’s a problem: No one has heard of it. Radio transmissions train their focus on Dazhai, a farm holding the last of the Firsts and likely a map to Port North. As plans are made, Tai-ge’s old allegiances rear their heads—he thinks stealing a map isn’t necessary when they could work with the Reds, something Sev will never do. And then the last person Sev expects to see appears: Howl, whom she believed to be dead. Sev is horrified. She loved Howl, but his lies soured her on him forever. Now they must work together as time to find a cure runs out. Sev’s struggle to determine whom she can trust takes center stage over intrigue. Though the relationships are carefully wrought, the hard shift away from the action of the first book is jarring. The secrets of Port North finally slingshot the pace back to a familiar clip. A victim of middle-book syndrome buoyed by a keen sense of the intricacies of relationships.”
Erin Summerill. Once A King. HMH Books for Young Readers, Dec. 4. YA fantasy. Clash of Kingdoms series.
PW: This new novel by Summerill is set in the same world as the Clash of Kingdoms series. Channeler Lirra Barrett, 18, can harness the wind and would love to show off her skills at the upcoming Channeler’s Jubilee at the All Kingdoms’ Summit, but her father, a black-market information specialist, needs her to deliver a letter to King Aodren of Malam, which has a history of eradicating Channelers. Meanwhile, a Channeler has created a healing oil called Sanguine that is making the rounds, and it seems to have deadly side effects. Lirra must stop the spread of the dangerous potion, and she’ll need Aodren’s help to do it. Lirra is a pragmatic, smart young woman who prides herself on her resiliency, and, against her better judgment, finds herself attracted to Aodren. Political intrigue across the five kingdoms abounds, and much of the action takes place on the tournament field at the All Kingdoms’ Summit. Lirra and Aodren’s clever banter, cloak-and-dagger derring-do, and tentative, sweet romance are well-drawn in their dual narration. Series fans and new readers will find much to love.”
Kirkus: “While the Sanguine storyline is highly effective as a drug metaphor and the political maneuverings entertain, other story elements—such as the romantic storyline and the party responsible for the troubles—won’t bring any surprises. Characters have a range of skin and eye colors which are free of plot significance. Brain candy for fans of Summerill’s worldbuilding.”
Brad Torgersen. A Star-Wheeled Sky. Baen, Dec. 4. Military science fiction. Well over a millennia in the past, men and women fled Earth. Escaping Armageddon. What they found—lost in some forgotten corner of the Milky Way Galaxy—was the Waywork: an alien superhighway system between a closed sphere of stars. Now, the five Starstates—which rule all that’s left of humanity—are poised on the brink of another terrible war. And three unlikely people—the daring daughter of a royal family, the reluctant son of an interstellar shipping magnate, and a disgraced flag officer seeking redemption—must come together to race against the forces of their greatest foe. Because the Waywork may at last be ready to give up its secrets, and one woman—a merciless autocrat, from the Waywork’s most brutal regime—is determined to ensure that she controls it all. It’s a clash of civilizations, as the future of the human race hangs in the balance! Annie Kirsten review.
Brad R. Torgersen. “Axabrast”. Baen.com, Dec. A primer story for the novel A Star-Wheeled Sky.
Karen Tuft. Wager for a Wife. Covenant, Dec. 1. Regency romance.
Noah Van Scriver. Fante Bukowski Three: A Perfect Failure. Fantagraphics, Oct. “In this third and final installment of the fan-favorite series, Van Sciver once again seizes the opportunity to skewer his symbol of the self-important male figure. With an ear for hilarious dialogue and no end of grist for the mill, Van Sciver’s pointed skewering of literary pretension and fatuous “mansplainers” has garnered multiple Eisner Awards nominations and made Bukowski more popular than he could have ever hoped.”
Matt Vroom. Super Elders. #1 (Sept. 2017), #2 (July 2018). Self-published. Mormon missionary/super-hero comic. “Two young Mormon missionaries meet up with a strange alien from outer space who bestows upon them great power to take out an adversary that is heading towards Earth.”
Dan Wells. Zero G. Audible, Dec. 6. Middle grade science fiction. Audiobook only. “How can one kid defeat an entire band of space pirates when everyone he knows is asleep? 12-year-old Zero is traveling with 20,000 people for 105 years to colonize a new planet. Everyone is in stasis, so they’ll be safe during the trip, but when Zero’s pod malfunctions it wakes him early, like 105 years early. At first he’s excited to be the only one awake—he has the entire ship to himself, so he can go anywhere and see and do and eat anything he wants—but when a family of space pirates show up, trying to hijack the ship and kidnap the colonizers, Zero has to think fast and find a way to stop them all on his own.”
Kiersten White. Slayer. Simon Pulse, Jan. 8, 2019. YA fantasy/superhero. Slayer #1. First in a new Buffy the Vampire Slayer novel series, about a new generation of slayers. It starts two months after Buffy destroys Seed of Wonder in the comics.
PW (Starred review): The first book in this new series by White is an epic, relatable story that will appeal to new and veteran Buffy the Vampire Slayer fans as it follows events from the Buffy comics series. With the destruction of the Seed of Wonder “the source of all magic on earth,” the world’s magic has disappeared—and with it the ability for new Slayers to be chosen. Twins Nina and Artemis, 16, come from a long line of Watchers (the entities that guide Slayers), and after Buffy decimated the Watchers before the book’s start, the twins and their mother, who survived, move to the now mostly empty Watcher retreat in Ireland, where the last of the Watchers can regroup. Nina, a protected Healer, works as the castle’s medic, happily to be part of Watcher Support, while Artemis trains for the physical side of Support and keeps Nina safe. When it is revealed that she’s the last Slayer, chosen as the magic died, Nina quickly learns that being Chosen may not be as important as the choices one makes. Resplendent with quirky, endearing characters and imagination-sparking details, this novel feeds the soul of Buffy devotees, keeping the Buffy spirit alive.
Kirkus: “Being a geek can be hard work. Series typically come with a lot of backstory. Most Star Wars movies famously begin with “the crawl,” a long block of text summing up the story so far. Fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer have plenty of story to choose from: the TV series, the 1992 movie, the comics and novels. White’s contribution includes elements from all the above. If it were made into a film, the crawl would be 10 minutes long. Newcomers may be frightened by the terminology. They may even be confused by a basic plot summary: Nina is both a Watcher and a Slayer. It means—in this case—that Nina is training to be a healer and a killer of monsters. The novel provides two of the main pleasures of the TV show: people facing the end of the world with jokes. The jokes aren’t nearly as clever as the ones on the show, but very few are. The book often spends less time on plot than on characterization, which is wise, because the plot involves specialty tea. (Most characters are relatives of the show’s Watchers—a notably white group.) The ending, however, is a genuine surprise and a brilliant twist. Even die-hard fans may lose patience with the story, but the surprises at the end more than adequately reward those who did their homework.”
SJL: Readers unfamiliar with the series will also enjoy this exciting and well-plotted story with appeal to fans of Cassandra Clare or Robin McKinley’s Sunshine. VERDICT: Purchase where paranormal and urban fantasy are popular.
Carol Lynch Williams. Once I Was A Beehive. Mirror Press, Dec. 1. YA. Novelization of the movie.
Mindy Holt. 5 stars. “I absolutely loved this book. It was a wonderful novelization of the movie. Not only did it have the wonderful heart of the movie, but the book added so much more. The added details helped the story jump off the pages. Being inside Lane’s head was enlightening. My heart broke for her with the lose of her father and adjusting to her mom getting remarried. I also loved how it showed her growth and acceptance. The movie was charming, but the book added so much more depth and charm to characters. Namely Lane, Bree, and Phoebe. I loved Imaginary Dad.
James Wymore. All Made of Hinges. Immortal Press, Nov. 27. Mormon steampunk short story anthology. First of three volumes. Featuring the stories of D. J. Butler, John M. Olsen, Steven L. Peck, Elizabeth Mueller, Scott E. Tarbet, Jay Barnson, Joe Monson, Amanda Hamblin, Christopher McAfee, Jace Killan, John D. Payne, and Lee Allred. Papa Pat Rambles review, including a discussion of each story.
Reviews of older books
Orson Scott Card, A Town Divided by Christmas (Michael Collings, Deseret News). “The story is told largely through conversations, some consciously witty and clever and others seemingly wandering and off-the-cuff, but always paying service to Card’s near-surgical analysis of the complications of divisiveness and unity — the intricate interplay of us and them, smart and educated, logic and emotion, urban and rural, and more. Lest my dissection make the tale sound too rigidly programmatic, there is one more image that becomes increasingly important: Hallmark Christmas movies. At first, the references are joking comments, but as the story unfolds, they take on more central significance and tie directly into the underlying theme of discovering— indeed, of creating — unity within divisiveness. Small-town politician and sheltered academic; reclusive, logic-driven geneticist and buxom small-town miss not long out of school — what could they possibly have in common? “A Town Divided by Christmas” is a short tale that repays thoughtful reading. The characters are varied and engaging. It works through complex human concerns to arrive at answers that surprise and entertain. It is a compelling Hallmark Christmas movie in prose. It is a parable for our times.”
Jack Harrell. Caldera Ridge (Michael Ferry, 15 Bytes). “Jack Harrell is not afraid to ask questions. In his newest work, Caldera Ridge, Harrell blends an impressive ability to create majestic setting and meaningful characters with questions that will keep you up at night. Does God know every decision that we will ever make or are there still portions of our life that have not been predetermined? If everything has already been decided, then what value is there in going through the ups and downs of life? . . . Many of the terms and settings found in the book are specific to the LDS faith (references are made to “relief society” and “sacrament meeting”), but the questions presented by Harrell are common to every background and religious persuasion . . . One of the most remarkable aspects of Caldera Ridge, is the masterful presentation of the setting in the mountains and valleys of northeastern Idaho, adjacent to Yellowstone National Park. The reader accompanies Kail throughout the landscape as he mends fences and clears campgrounds, not failing to notice the serenity of his environment. Passages such as this one are included throughout the book:
They stepped over a row of rocks that lined the parking lot and walked a few feet through the wild grasses to where the land began to dip down into a low valley with small trees extending a half mile or so to the foothills in the distance. The sun in the eastern sky had risen well above the distant mountains. The trees in the lowest part of the valley were green and lush and tinged with a blue-pink light. The sounds of songbirds and crows filled the air.
Chad Morris and Shelly Brown. Squint (Bloggin’ ‘bout Books) B. “I greatly enjoyed Mustaches for Maddie, last year’s heartwarming MG novel by husband/wife duo Chad Morris and Shelly Brown, so I was excited to read their newest offering, Squint. Like its predecessor, Squint is a warm, uplifting story that encourages empathy, compassion, and accepting others despite their differences. Although it deals with tough subjects, Squint remains positive without ever feeling cheesy or overly sentimental. Instead, it’s a funny, engaging story that both entertains and empowers. In the same vein as Wonder, it’s a book that reminds us to look more closely at each other—and ourselves—to find the hidden beauty inside us all.”
Jennifer A. Nielsen. Resistance (Bloggin’ ‘bout Books) B. “I heard Jennifer A. Nielsen speak about the inspiration behind Resistance—her newest middle grade novel—this summer at the National Book Festival in Washington, D.C. She told the true story of Poland’s brave, young couriers, which was absolutely fascinating. I wanted to know more, so I immediately (well, not too immediately—the buy lines at the festival were crazy) bought Resistance and delved right in. Not surprisingly, the story is tense, action-filled, and exciting. The historical details are fascinating, especially when you consider that real people actually performed the daring actions described in the book. While the prose isn’t quite as strong as I hoped and the characters suffer from lack of development, I found Resistance to be an engrossing, enlightening read. It may be too grim for younger middle grade readers, but for older kids and adults, I recommend it.”
Kiersten White. The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein (Ashleey, Reading for Sanity) 3.5 stars. “While fairytale re-tellings are still coming out and still tons of fun, but now we’ve moved into re-tellings of original horror stories. This isn’t your Pride and Prejudice and Zombies fare, but more like a re-imagining and fleshing out of a story. The first one I read, The Spellbook of Katrina Van Tassel: A Story of Sleepy Hollow was a fun new take, and I think this one is also fun and worth a read. . . The story itself is interesting in that it isn’t exactly like you’re seeing a direct focus on Frankenstein and his monster, but more like that story is happening and your focus is off to the side, so although you are aware and definitely read about and take part in some Frankenstein and Frankenstein’s monster story, it is often done on the peripheral, just out of focus but present enough to be scary and somewhat disturbing in that you can’t just see it straight on. I found this to be an interesting perspective and I liked the somewhat frantic feelings it created for Elizabeth because as a reader you are well aware of what is going on just from being familiar with the original Frankenstein, but she doesn’t know it and she is discovering for the first time. In this sense you are both introduced to a re-telling of the old classic as well as offered a different viewpoint on what was going on. The end of this book is a little bit strange, and I’m going to be super vague here. I found it to be somewhat unrealistic, but then again, when you’re reading about Frankenstein and all the things he created, I guess unrealistic and strange has to be overlooked. It didn’t seem consistent to the rest of the book, though, even though I did appreciate what was happening and how the characters fared. Overall, I would say this is a fun addition to the Frankenstein story. I don’t think it will be a long-time classic like the original Shelley, but it was certainly accessible and vivid, and a fun read for when you’re looking for something spooky and in the horror genre minus the excessive descriptive gore.”
Movies
The Insufferable Groo. Documentary, directed by Scott Christoperson. Available at iTunes and other platforms, Dec. 14.
Los Angeles Times. “To end on an up note, Christopherson moves the goalposts on what constitutes a “win” for someone whose work is as amateurish and outré as Groo’s. Still, there’s something undeniably inspiring about his stick-to-it-iveness, as he hustles around the Utah mountains, completing more movies in a year than better filmmakers ever will.”
Film Pulse. Grade: 7. “The film profiles Groo in an unflinchingly frank manner. It highlights his passion for film while exposing his narcissism when it comes to his duties as a filmmaker. In one instance he’s represented as a stubborn monster, demanding the world of his crew while forcing them to work 18-hour days with no pay, and in another it humanizes him, sharing an intimate moment with his wife in a hotel pool . . . The documentary is accentuated with 8-bit-style animated intros for many of the subjects interviewed, but it also features some very well done hand-drawn cartoons as well, giving the film an inconsistent, but aesthetically pleasing look. Groo is an interesting subject to be sure but not a particularly likable one, though the documentary presents information very matter-of-factly and lets you draw your own opinions of the man. He’s passionate and driven but to a fault. His family is living off the $1,000 a month his wife makes, and they need to support their three children. It’s hard to root for a guy to succeed when he doesn’t give you any good reason. Still, Groo’s dedication to filmmaking is admirable, and Christopherson presents that in a well-crafted documentary that’s an easily recommended watch.”
Anna, directed by BYU student Billy Knowles, won Best Student Drama Short and Best Director Student Short at the Los Angeles Independent Film Festival Awards.
BYU Final Cut Film Festival, November 2018.
Best Fiction: “Passenger Seat”, directed by Jeffrey Hein
Best Non-Fiction: “Dreamers”, directed by Catherine Santos Pearce
Best Editing, Cinematography, and Production Design: “Gather”, directed by Howie Burbidge
Best Sound Design: “To Have and To Hold”, directed by Colton Elzey
Audience Favorite: “Anna”, directed by William Knowles; “Gather”, directed by Howie Burbidge
Theater
Katherine Gee Perrone’s play Lorax was published in The Best Ten-Minute Plays: 2018. Edited by Lawrence Harbison. Smith & Kraus, Nov. 15.
Mahonri Stewart. Secrets of Sleepy Hollow. Vanguard Theater Company, Marriott-Slaterville, UT (near Ogden), Nov. 15-17. A sequel to the Award-Winning Legends of Sleepy Hollow. Directed by Mahonri.
George King (script, lyrics) and C. Michael Perry (lyrics, music). Coming Home: A Christmas Story. Provo Library Ballroom, Dec. 10.
Matthew Greene’s play Good Standing was discussed in Les Roka, The Utah Review, “Top Ten Moments of the Utah Enlightenment for 2018”
Bestsellers
Nov. 11, 18, 25, Dec. 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, Jan. 6
Tara Westover. Educated
USA Today: #28, #28, #20, #34, #26, #15, #8, #10 (44 weeks)
PW Hardcover Non-Fiction #22, #17, #16, #21, #17, #9, #7 (43 weeks) 6448, 6760, 8000, 7923, ?, 24703, 40,242 units. 381,314 total.
NY Times Hardcover Non-Fiction: #10, #11, #6, #5, #4, #3, #3, #3, #3 (44 weeks)
NY Times Combined Print/Ebook Nonfiction: #4, #5, #2, #2, #3, #2, #3, #3, #3 (44 weeks)
Brandon Sanderson. Skyward
USA Today: x, #9, #119, #120, x, x, x, x (3 weeks)
PW Children’s: x, #5, #25, x, x, x, x, x, x (2 months)
NY Times Young Adult: x, x, #3, #3, #4, #4, #5, x, #6 (6 weeks)
Christine Feehan. Leopard’s Run
USA Today: x, #13, #48, #143, x, x, x (3 weeks)
PW Mass Market Fiction: x, #1, #1, #6, #16, x, x, x, x, x (4 weeks). 14,614, 9000, 5943, 4273 units. 34,905 total.
NY Times Combined Print and Ebook Fiction: x, x, #8, x, x, x, x, x, x (1 week)
Richard Paul Evans. The Noel Stranger
USA Today: x, #24, #66, x, x, x, x, x (2 weeks)
PW Hardcover Fiction: x, #8, #13, #18, #21, #24 (5 weeks). 12884, 7495, 6088, 6063, 5714 units. 38,377 total.
NY Times Hardcover Fiction: x, x, #9, #15, x, x (2 weeks)
NY Times Combined Print and Ebook Fiction: x, x, #15, x, x, x (1 week)
Brandon Mull. Wrath of the Dragon King
USA Today: #34, x, x, x, x. x, x, x (1 week)
PW Children’s Frontline: #4, #22, x, x (2 weeks)
NY Times Middle Grade Hardcover: #1, #3, #6, x, x, x (3 weeks)
Brandon Sanderson. Oathbringer
USA Today: #24, x, x, x, x, x, x (8 weeks)
PW Trade paperback: #22, x, x, x (1 week) 3047 units.
Brandon Sanderson. Words of Radiance
USA Today: #50, x, x, x, x, x, x, x (6 weeks)
Brandon Sanderson. The Way of Kings
USA Today: #53, x, x, x, x, x, x (3 weeks)