Reviews of Two Awesome Book of Mormon Books

This summer has been very busy and stressful. And what do I like to do to relieve the stress? Read, of course! Each evening when my kids go to bed, I take an hour or two or five and read until I'm ready to drop. There are lots of books I absolutely enjoyed, but two stand out above the rest. Not just because I loved them, but because they smoothed out the stress and added inspiration and upliftment to my day.

Bad Guys of the Book of Mormon by Dennis Gaunt

Warning! This book contains information about a deadly enemy’s top secret plans of world domination and total destruction. Your mission—should you choose to accept it—is to learn what the enemy is planning as well as what his weaknesses are so that you will be prepared to defeat him. Gathered here are case studies of some of the enemy’s top soldiers in his army—Laman and Lemuel, Korihor, King Noah, Amalickiah—as well as the strategies that allowed the Lord’s righteous warriors—Nephi, Alma the Younger, Abinadi, Captain Moroni—to defeat them.

President Ezra Taft Benson said, “The Book of Mormon exposes the enemies of Christ. . . . It fortifies the humble followers of Christ against the evil designs, strategies, and doctrines of the devil in our day.” By learning about the bad guys, by studying their traits, tricks, and tactics, we will be able to see clearly the plans and plots Satan used in the Book of Mormon. And because they are the same plans he is using today, we will have “insider information” on how to defeat him. Your enemy is smart. You can be smarter.

My Review:  

The first time I heard about this book was when I signed with Lisa Mangum at the LDStorymakers conference. She handed me a book mark and said, "Have you seen this?" 

It was awesome! I wanted the book right then and there. When an email arrived asking me to review  Bad Guys of the Book of Mormon, I was super excited. Bad Guys of the Book of Mormon arrived and I devoured it. 

Dennis Gaunt has a fun writing personality. I love how he dived into the lives of the Bad Guys. He shares neat insights - things I never even considered - and makes it all so interesting. This is definitely not a dry gospel book. Be prepared to laugh one minute, then sit back the next and ponder how a certain statement effects your life. How you can be a hero and defeat the evil forces tempting you.

This book is written for teens and young adults - who I am positive will LOVE it. But no way can they have all the fun and knowledge! Adults - college students, moms, dads, grandmas, grandpas - y'all need to read this one! It's absolutely unique and one to definitely add to your gospel library.

You can find out more about Dennis Gaunt on his website. You can purchase the book on Deseret Book or Amazon.



Ammon by H.B. Moore

With the fire of newfound testimony, Ammon and his brethren leave Zarahemla to preach the gospel in Lamanite lands, carrying nothing but hunting weapons and the promises of God. Spotted by an enemy scout, they part ways in the dense jungle with hopes of reuniting at the close of their harvest. Ammon follows the Spirit to the borders of Ishmael, where he’s ambushed just seconds after spotting Elena, a fair-skinned woman who captures his interest.

As Ammon gains reknown in the kingdom, he defends Elena from the advances of Gad, the loathsome widower she’ll soon be required to marry. Then swearing allegiance to the Lamanite king and trusting in the Lord, Ammon further proves his strength and devotion by sparing King Lamoni’s flocks from plunderers. The amazed king and his court are converted to the gospel through Ammon’s powerful teachings and the miraculous events that follow, but each action Ammon takes causes more and more disruption throughout the kingdom. And when Elena is abducted by her own brother and hidden away in an unspeakable place, Ammon faces his greatest struggle yet: not just the outward challenge of lethal combat but also the inward challenge of loving one’s enemy.

My Review

H.B. Moore's Book of Mormon series is my absolute favorite scripture fiction books ever. All of the books have helped me understand the scriptures in a new light. I love to read her books, then go back and read through the scripture account again and see how much better I get it all. H.B. Moore has an incredible talent! Her new book, Ammon, is just as awesome as the rest of the books in the series.  Before I go on my with my review, check out this interview with the author:



Now, back to Ammon. There's action and even romance. (Yeah!) But most definitely, this book is about struggle - both physical and emotional. I was so involved in what was happening between everyone in the book, that it was difficult to put it down to go to bed. Ammon's story is complex and gripping, all the way through to the last page.

The one element that I appreciated the most was Ammon's challenge to love and forgive his enemies. I try to hard to be forgiving, but honestly it's not a characteristic that comes easy for me. H.B. Moore's example of how Ammon relies his faith to find the strength to love those who hurt him and those he loved was my favorite part.

You can learn more about H.B. Moore on her website.

You can purchase Ammon on Deseret Book or Amazon.

Book Review: Bumpy Landings by Donald J. Carey

Across the field, a couple of small planes cast long shadows as the sun inched its way toward the western horizon. 

Then Jordan heard the sound he was hoping for. He looked out into the sky above the ocean where a small white plane with a red tail buzzed over the waves, flying parallel to the runway. As the plane flew past, Jordan imagined he was the one at the controls, with one eye on the airport and the other on the altimeter, waiting for just the right moment to turn into the base leg of the landing pattern.

All his life, Jordan MacDonald has dreamed of taking flight and soaring above the majestic mountains of his native Hawaii, but he doesn’t dare disobey his mother, who has absolutely forbidden him from flying. Suddenly everything changes when, spurred by the pain of a failed relationship, Jordan begins working toward the coveted pilot’s license. Just as he finds love again, Jordan’s lies start to close in around him, and he soon learns that a life full of dishonesty attracts more turbulence than he’s ever faced in the air.

Set against the exotic backdrop of the Hawaiian islands, this thrilling tale of romance and self-discovery is a perfect vacation from the average love story. Join Jordan as he tests the limits of friendship and finds out just how far his dreams can carry him. Entertaining and engaging, Bumpy Landings will take you to new heights with each turn of the page.

*****

My Review

Hawaii? Tell me one person who doesn't want to go there to escape some winter blues and sink into a land of paradise. I've been hankering to go to Hawaii - even just recently tried to convince my hubby it was time for a trip. But to no avail. Not enough money for plane tickets, blah, blah, blah. So I was excited when my copy of Bumpy Landings by Donald J. Carey arrived in the mail. I couldn't wait to pick it up and absorb some of what life is like on a Hawaiian island. Sigh. Note to self: Must start saving for a trip (even if it means hubby must stay behind as the babysitter!)

Okay, let's jump into the story. Everyone who read my blog knows I'm a romance book chick. Bumpy Landings is not a straight romance type book - it's not marketed as such either. But of course, I really like the romantic elements the author added. I actually think the back cover blurb does a great job describing the book.

Bumpy Landings is about a young man named Jordan, who is home from his mission and entering his first post-mission year of college at BYU-Hawaii, where his mother is a professor. He falls in love, is thwarted in love, falls in lust, out of lust, and maybe, just maybe, if he's a good boy, will fall back into love before the end of the book (I'm not telling what happens!).

Some of the elements I really liked about Bumpy Landings:

1. Find Yourself

I often tell my daughters and the Young Women I'm good friends with, that it's important for them to leave home for at least a year of college. Go live in the dorms or share an apartment with friends. That year is essential for them to figure out who they are inside, what they believe in and stand for, how to budget and manage their time, and get a taste - just a little one - of what the real world is like. It's important for them to have this experience, most especially before they get married.

I love that Jordan goes through this same thing. He has issues at home with a controlling mother, but not only that, he realizes once he's moved out, that he needs to figure out who HE is and what he wants in life. This is by far my favorite message in this book. I don't know if the author intended it to come across or not, but it's one I'm sensitive to because I firmly believe in its importance.

2. Love vs. Lust

We've all been there - multiple times through high school and college. You meet someone who's attractive and give you goose bumps just to think about . . . and you fall in love. But is it love? Or is it just lust? How do you tell the difference? Some pretty complicated questions, eh?

So, another part of the book that I really liked is that Jordan does fall in love, but doesn't get much further than the second date cause the chickie becomes interested in Mr. Tall Dark and Handsome she recently met. Jordan is heart-broken. But eventually he meets another girl, who makes him laugh and who likes to kiss - a lot. Oh yeah, he's in love! Or is he? (You'll have to read the book to find out).

This is another theme I'm not sure if the author meant to send out as a message or not, but one I really liked. What is real love and how do you recognize it? Very well done, Mr. Carey.


3. Airplanes

I'm terrified of heights and hate flying, but I love to watch airplanes take off, fly, and land. That probably has to do with the fact that I grew up in Lock Haven, PA - home of the Piper Cubs. I loved to go to our little Piper Airport and just watch the planes. They are really the only planes I'm attached to. I still remember how excited I was when my son got to fly a Piper Cub for the Challenger Air program. I was terrified about him actually being in the plane and up in the sky - but how totally cool to see him hanging out with the Cubs.

There are a few times when Jordan is flying that my feet tingled. Like I said, I'm sensitive about heights - even imagined heights. But I enjoyed Jordan's response to his love of flying and how it made him feel.


4. Honesty and Integrity

Another theme in the book is figuring out the whole honesty and integrity thing. Which I kind of associate with the first element I talked about - finding yourself. But in Bumpy Landings, Jordan hides his flying lessons and plans to become a pilot from his mom and girlfriend - both of whom have particular reasons for not wanting him to fly.

This actually made me sit back and think. I reviewed my life and could pick out times that I've said or embellished something so it was mostly true . . . but tweaked just right and to my advantage. It's interesting how those things tend to eventually come back and catch up with you, isn't it? Well, Jordan certainly gets caught in his web and has to make some very difficult decisions about his life. But are they the right choices? And will he get it right on the first try? (You'll have to read the book to find out!)


Bumpy Landings has some fun and humorous scenes in it, but also parts that make you sit back and think. It was an engaging book and one that I think teens and adults would all enjoy.

You can find out more about Donald J. Carey on his website.

Bumpy Landings is available at your local book store and also on Amazon.com

Christmas Eve, Awesome News, and a Spine Tingling Book

It's Christmas Eve morning. My hubby is pulling the turkey out of the refrigerator so we can figure out how long it needs to cook and I'm strategizing my "kitchen plan" in my head. You know what a kitchen plan is, don't you? For me, when to make each dish, so they'll all be ready (and hot!) when it's time for our big dinner tonight, as well as how to keep the kids happy and out of the kitchen while I get it all done.   =)

I love Christmas Eve. Christmas Day is all about fun and playing together as a family, but Christmas Eve is full of all the anticipation, giggles and squeals, and teasing about what kind of presents we might get tomorrow. Sticks and rocks, mud scented play doh, and Santa just might bring a big box of coal, too. The kids enjoy the teasing just as much as we do, laughing and teasing us right back. Later this morning, we'll pull out a puzzle to work on and play a couple of board games. Then we'll pop on some fun Christmas DVD's for the kids while we cook up our turkey and all the trimmings.

My three-year-old just came up to tell me that our turkey is taking a bath. LOL! It's in the sink finishing it's final defrost before being put in the over. I'm drooling while thinking about all our yummy food for tonight. My hubby is excited about the apple cranberry pie I bought yesterday. It looks totally delish!

Aside from the food (I just love holiday food!), I'm also looking forward to telling the Christmas story tonight as a family. We get out my mom's ceramic teddy bear nativity and use the pieces to tell the story. The kids are old enough now that they each hold their own pieces and come in to play their parts at the appropriate time. After the telling of the Christmas story, we'll all sit on the couch together, turn off the lights (so much better to admire the Christmas tree), and sing carols. Then we'll have family prayer and get all the munchkins to bed (so much easier said than done!).

Yes, I love Christmas Eve and can't wait to dive into it today. Most of our munchkins are still sleeping, hence the opportunity to blog this morning.  =)

I also have some awesome news to share. My publisher, Cedar Fort, emailed yesterday to say that the release date for (dis)Abilities and the Gospel is May 2011. Horray! Only five months away! I'm so very excited. Lynn and I will have our very first book signing at the LDS Storymakers Writers Conference during Mother's Day weekend. If you're attending the conference, you'll get first dibs on the book as it most likely won't be on book store shelves yet.

I'm rather emotional about our first signing for a couple of reasons. The first of which is that the Storymakers conference is where my hubby sent me to get me back into my writing after many years of setting it aside to help our son with his autism therapy. It was at that first conference I attended when I realized that my love of writing could turn into the reality of a book selling in book stores. Each conference that followed continued to teach my the writing craft. The support of the Storymakers and friends I met at the conference nurtured and encouraged me all year long. This writing journey has been an incredible experience - and I think it's so neat that the organization who encouraged me to work to realize my dreams, is where I'll hold my book and sign it for a fan for the first time. Amazing how it's all working out, isn't it?

The other reason having our first signing at the Storymakers conference is because last year's conference was when my co-author Lynn Parsons and I met in person. Yes, we wrote a whole book together, but never once met in person. We talked on the phone, emailed and wrote through Google Docs. Our friendship was created and sealed through modern technology. I still remember how excited I was to wrap my arms around her for the first time at last year's conference. We even teased each other that we were both wearing similar outfits - which was totally not planned at all. It's fun to see how our writing journey together is coming full circle. We're both rubbing our hands in anticipation of the new year and jumping into the excitement of marketing, promotions, and our book tour. Wow. It's definitely a Merry Christmas for Lynn and I. 

My kids are starting to make appearances, so I just want to chat about one more thing. The book I read last night. Once the kids were in bed, I decided to take a nice hot bath and enjoy a good book. I picked up Cold As Ice by Stephanie Black, sunk into the bath tub and dived into the first chapter. So much for relaxing in my bath! There's a reason why Stephanie Black has won two Whitney Awards for her suspense novels. They pull you in, freak you out, and make it so you can't put the book down until you know how it ends. I was barely able to put it down after the water turned cold so I could jump out and get dressed for bed. But once I hurried through that, I was snuggled into my bed and right back into the book.

My favorite thing about suspense novels is trying to figure out who the bad guy is before the end. Cold As Ice is a book where I kept guessing. It's this person because of this, this, and this. Wait no - I think it could be this person because of blah, blah, blah. I went through this at least four times . . . and I was still wrong at the end! During those last fifty pages, I was so, so tempted to flip to the end just to see who the killer was. I seriously stopped a few times and fingered the pages, debating about whether to skip ahead or not. But I made myself read through. And yes, there were spine tingles and gasps and when the killer was revealed a "No way!" as everything sunk in together and got wrapped up. So, if you like suspense and spine tingles, I highly recommend Cold As Ice. Now I need to read the rest of her books - which are actually on my bookshelf but I've never read because, you know, I'm a romance chick. Well, I'm now a Stephanie Black suspense fan and will be reading all of her books as soon as they come out now.

Well, it's time to wrap up this post. I'm looking out our bay windows and see that it's started snowing outside. My kids will be thrilled if we have a white Christmas, so hopefully it won't all melt and go away.

Merry Christmas everyone! I hope your holiday is filled with family, friends, love, and thoughts of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Book Review: Sun Tunnels and Secrets by Carole Thayne Warburton

Now that NaNoWriMo is over, I'm finally starting to catch up on all my book reviews. BTW - have you heard my happy news? If not, go check out this blog post!

Today my review is Sun Tunnels and Secrets by Carole Thayne Warburton.

Here is the back cover blurb:

On a trip to the Sun Tunnels in the Utah desert, Norma and her sisters find a body on the side of the road. But this awful discovery turns out to be the least of their problems. Norma's husband just passed on, and she learns he kept a secret from her for sixty years. LaRue is keeping a secret from Norma. The sisters' young friend Tony is keeping a secret about his famous father, and Tony's mother is keeping a secret of her own. Tony is secretly in love with his friend Kelli, who recently escaped from a polygamist cult. And who is the mysterious young car thief with whom Norma feels a special connection? Everything converges in Grouse Creek at the Fourth of July celebration. Will secrets prove everyone's undoing?

My Review

I actually really enjoyed this book. I loved the three old sisters - Norma, Mabel, and LaRue. They cracked me up. Their reactions to the crimes and their bantering was very fun. I also like the romance between Tony and Kelli. And man, if you're looking for a book that has twists and turns and conflict all over the place, this is the one for you! As a writer, I'm seriously impressed the author was able to keep track of it all, keep it believable, and even wrap each thread before the end of the book. Now here's someone I'd like to take a writing class from and figure out how she plotted everything out and kept it organized.

This isn't a book I think teens would be especially interested in, but definitely college age through older adults would find Sun Tunnels and Secrets an intriguing read. It's definitely worth checking out!


Sun Tunnels and Secrets is available on Amazon.com or at your local LDS bookstore. 

Guest Blogger: Debut Author Michael Knudsen

"Swear you will never become a Mormon."

It was more likely I'd become a vegan. "Don't be ridiculous, Aunt Jean. I'm not going to become a Mormon."

"Swear it on the Bible."

The Rogue Shop illuminates how we recognize truth in even the most trying of circumstances. Michael Knudsen's hilarious debut will remind you about the value of faith, family and friends as Chris learns from his past to move forward into a better future.

--From the back cover

First of all, thanks Danyelle for hosting me today. This is the first time I've ever visited someone's personal blog, and I must admit that at first I felt slightly uncomfortable, as if I should be taking my shoes off or something. Then I noticed the pretty green linen background Danyelle has, and it reminded me so much of one of my mother's tablecloths that I immediately felt at home.

The big occasion instigating my touring of blogs is the release of my first novel, The Rogue Shop, on December 8th. Just yesterday, I held the book in my hands for the first time. I'm telling you--it's not as warm or as cuddly as either of my three newborn children were, but the feelings are scarily similar. Do you have any idea how long I've waited for that moment? Let's just say that I created my first picture/storybook with a pencil and kindergarten-lined paper in 1972.

Why so long to publish? Frankly, I didn't bother to try until January of this year. Oh, I've written fragments of novels over the years, getting excited for a month or two, then dropping it when I realized how much work it was going to take to make it publishable. It was always so easy to just fall back into the daily cycle of day job -- family -- church--eat--sleep--repeat. I'm not going to tell you I didn't have time to finish a book. I didn't make time. Never for a moment in the past four decades did I doubt that I had the ability to do it, I simply never did it. Do I regret this? That's not a valid question. I've moved past it, and NOW is all I have. I encourage all writers within the sound of my blogging voice to seize that NOW and make a preemptive strike against future regret. If you feel the need to write, you are talented enough to publish--with enough work. If you are talented, you are meant to succeed. Just do it.

My mission now is to get the book I worked so hard on into the hands of as many people as possible. It's a story that I feel LDS readers in particular will find fun and emotionally moving. It's one of the reasons I showed up on this whirling blue ball at the time I did, equipped as I am. There are other reasons, as of yet unfulfilled. Excuse me while I get on with fulfilling. You do the same.

Learn more about Michael and his work at http://michaelknudsenauthor.com

*********

Michael - Thank you so much for guest blogging at Queen of the Clan today! For all my readers, let me tell you this is a book I'm really excited to read! I think it sounds fun and insightful. And who can resist a guy who works at a wedding tux shop? Not me! Watch for my review of The Rogue Shop sometime during December or January. I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

An Update & a Book Review: The Stone Traveler by Kathi Oram Peterson

Wow. It's seriously been forever since I've posted on my blog. Not just a video, but a real update. So, here's a brief blurb about what's been happening at the Ferguson house.

My oldest son started Cross Country this week. He absolutely LOVES it! I saw him out running around his school with his team earlier this week and just thought, "Wow! Is that really my kid out there, running and running, and actually liking it?" I mean, this kid has always loved to run - but he most definitely does not get that from his Mama. I tolerate running. It's great cardio and burns a lot of calories, but I'd rather be in a Zumba class burning calories than running on a treadmill (or outside where there are - gasp - hills!!!). But not my son. He can run, run, run, and at the finish line has a huge smile on his face and says, "That was awesome!"

My oldest daughter found out she's going to be a Munchkin in The Wiz for her acting class. She's super excited. And so am I! I was a munchkin in that same play when I was about her age. Only I lived in Pennsylvania and my acting class was during the summer at the Millbrook Playhouse. It's fun to see how excited my daughter is about the play, her lines, and dance. Super cute!

My youngest son is taking swimming lessons - and once again, is an excited kid. He's also my goof ball. He gets so excited and does goofy things to show off. It's hard to describe, but he makes silly faces, does silly dances and is just, well, silly!

My youngest daughter is a not so happy story. She's having the hardest time having the older kids gone at school all day. It almost makes me wish I had signed her up for preschool through the school district so she could go 4 days a week instead of just 2 days a week at the private preschool where she currently attends. It's been a difficult adjustment for her - and for mom. I really don't like all the crying and melt downs as she tries to get more and more attention. I'm hoping that we'll find a good routine that will work for both of us soon.

As for me, I spent a couple of days in bed, not feeling well. There are some advantages to not feeling well. The best one is all the books I got to read! One of which is today's review, The Stone Traveler by Kathi Oram Peterson.

I was first introduced to Kathi's writing when her first book, The Forgotton Warrior, came out - which I totally loved and am STILL waiting for the sequel! (hint, hint - Kathi!) Kathi also has a Christmas themed book called, An Angel on Main Street, which is honestly one of my favorite Christmas books ever. It's a beautiful story. So, you can bet that when I was asked to participate in this blog tour, I responded super fast with a huge YES!!!!!

Here's more about The Stone Traveler:

Sixteen year old Tag can't believe he's in this much trouble. He's not actually a member of the gang known as the Primes, all he did was spray paint some graffiti that caught their attention. In all honesty, ever since his dad and brother left, Tag just wants to be alone. And it's certainly not his fault that the Primes nearly beat up his goofy cousin, Ethan. But his mom is furious about these gang-related activities and insists that Tag send the whole summer at his grandpa's lakeside cabin, which is not Tag's idea of a good time. So he does what any self-respecting teenager would do: run away. But he doesn't get far before he encounters three strange men carrying an even stranger object, a stone that glows with radiant light as bright as a thousand sparklers. Tag doesn't steal the stone, not exactly. He feels like he is supposed to take it. But he doesn't expect the stone to transport him through space and time to a place he's never seen before, a place that looks an awful lot like the ancient lands described in the Book of Mormon. And he definitely doesn't expect to join Sabirah, the entrancing daughter of Samuel the Lamanite, on a quest to rescue her father and brother from the evil King Jacob. And he absolutely doesn't expect to be captured by Jacob's minions and prepared as a sacrifice to the evil idol of the city. But just as Tag faces his death, a terrible storm begins to break, and the ground cracks into jagged pieces. And he's not sure which event will impact his life more: his captor's knife coming at his body, the violent tempest sweeping the land... or the men who later appear, glowing even more brightly than the traveler's stone. 

My Review

There are very few writers outside of the romance/chick lit genres that I just really truly enjoy and can't wait to get my hands on their books. Kathi Oram Peterson's book are one of those few. Kathi has a gift for bringing to life complex, down-to-earth characters that I connect with. She sets up a story in today's world that pulls me in, and then BAM! There's a twist on reality as the character is sent back in time and immediately put in the middle of great conflict. The Stone Traveler was a great read and one I'm excited to share with my oldest daughter who has been digging through my LDS Fiction bookshelves all summer. You can find out more about Kathi's books at her blog or her website. You can also purchase The Stone Traveler at your local bookstore or online at Amazon through the link below.



Now don't run off! Check out Kathi's CONTEST!

Kathi is giving away some awesome weekly prizes during her blog tour . . . as well as one huge prize at the end - a Kindle! So be sure to go check out this post on Kathi's blog and start entering right away! I know I am (I would LOVE a Kindle!)

Contest and Book Review: Hometown Girl by Michele Ashman Bell

Last week was filled with long distance phone calls, prayers for my in-laws, temporarily single parenting, and helping some very emotional kids while they also missed their dad. Thank you to everyone for your prayers for my father-in-law. I sincerely appreciate them. He is home and recovering.

Another thank you to Michele Ashman Bell for asking me to be on her blog tour and allowing me to delay my review until life settled down enough to finish reading the book & actually write on my blog, too. Here's some more info about Hometown Girl.


Jocelyn Rogers’s life is in a rut. Maybe she should step outside her comfort zone and move to Milford Falls, where she has inherited her grandmother’s house. With the encouragement of the other Butterfly Girls, Jocelyn musters her courage and starts a new life.

However, when she arrives in the small town that holds both good and bad memories for her, she discovers the house in worse shape than she expected, and getting repairs done is anything but easy — especially when it comes to dealing with Jack Emerson, a man who seems to be agitated by Jocelyn and everyone else within a fifty-mile radius.

To make matters worse, she has begun to worry that moving back to the place where she once spent a troubled summer will expose the deep personal secret she has kept hidden for fourteen years. But Jack also has a hidden secret that has prevented him from getting close to anyone in a long time. And now it seems that interfering neighbors may prevent both Jack and Jocelyn from moving forward with their lives.

Join the Butterfly Girls in this charmingly romantic story that shows sometimes it takes a leap of faith to land on your feet. 

My Review:

Hometown Girl is the second book in The Butterfly Box series. I absolutely loved the first book - A Modest Proposal - and have been anxiously waiting for the next book to come out.  I am a huge Michele Ashman Bell fan. I love how much depth her characters have, their unique stories, and how real to life their choices and emotions are. All of this is once again in Michele's newest book, Hometown Girl.

I really like how Michele continued to show the bond between The Butterfly Box girls - Lauren, Chloe, Emma, Jocelyn, and Andrea. But it was particularly interesting to learn more about Jocelyn. I have to admit, she was the one person I was most curious about when I read A Modest Proposal. I thought we wouldn't get to her story until later in the series, so I was surprised when I found it book 2 was all about her - a happy surprised!

Lauren faces some very difficult memories while she's at her grandmother's house. Watching her face those memories and finally coming to a point where she could find forgiveness, feel whole again through the atonement and Heavenly Father's love was just incredible. There are a few quirky, funny moments (it just wouldn't be a Michele book without them!). And of course, the added romantic element between Jocelyn and Jack satisfied my romance-loving heart. Overall, I really enjoyed Hometown Girl. If you're an LDS drama/romance fiction lover - or just love good clean books - you'll want to pick up this one! I'm already looking forward to the next book!

Contest:

Michele is running an awesome contest in conjunction with her blog tour. She's giving away a $50 Visa Gift Card, which can be used anywhere. Now that's a prize I love! To find out more about the contest and enter for a chance to win, check out this post on Michele's blog.