Choosing Charity/Terri Ferran

Synopsis:

   "When Kit learns that her biological mother wants to meet her, it seems her perfect life is about to come tumbling down. With a new job, a husband she adores, and friends all around her, can Kit possibly be expected to risk everything for a woman who left her in a dumpster to die?
    Of course, love comes in many forms. Now Kit's about to learn that when faith and hope aren't enough, charity can make things right."

Review: 

   This is the third and final book in the Faith, Hope, and Charity series. You do not need to read the first two to enjoy this book, but they help you understand how Kit and her husband Adam met and gives you better input on those people in her life. The first two books are called 1. Finding Faith  2. Having Hope
    I have to say that this was definitely my favorite in the series! Kit has really grown since the first book but still has many unexpected surprises still ahead of her that are brought forward in this last one. She faces her parents sudden divorce and juggling relationships with both and their changing lives. Also the fact that her biological mother finds her after all these years and it's not how Kit planned the meeting would go. Of course Adam is the perfect husband who helps her look past all the negative that's creeping up and brings in the positive. She also has great support from his family and their friends.
   I loved how Terri tied in the word "Charity" and used it in a couple different ways. It was truly an inspirational read! It had love, drama, heartache, laughter, and of course Faith, Hope, and Charity. Family is a powerful thing and these books hold to what it means to be one. To be there for one another, no matter the circumstance. Love never dies. 
   Read all three books and get the know Kit, Adam, and the rest of these fun characters Terri brought to life through her writing.

The Lost Stones/Paul Rimmasch

Review:

    Instead of putting up a synopsis I put up the book trailer. Check it out! The question to ask now is, what did happen to the 16 glowing stones that the Lord touched to bring forth light for the boats that brought the Brother of Jared and his people to the Promised Land? This book is a work of fiction, but uses historical facts from the Book of Mormon.
    Ammon Rogers grew up in an LDS home, but fell away until he returned home from his 2nd tour in Iraq. Now at BYU he is trying to find ways to produce alternate energy. Still trying to understand the truthfulness of the Gospel and Book of Mormon he finds himself traveling with John Byrd and his feisty daugther Sariah. From Utah, to Mexico, to a few other places on the map, they search for clues on the whereabouts of those lost stones which could be the answer to Ammon's alternate energy solutions. While on this journey they must evade "Accident Man" who is hired to stop those people who make significant discoveries and cause an "accident" before the findings can be heard.
    I would recommend this book to those who love history and archeology! It is a very informative book on ancient discoveries and possibilities. I liked how it explained the reason why the church doesn't use scientific proof to prove fact, even if it is genuine. It just goes to show you don't need proof to know the truth.
    Do they find the lost stones? Do they evade the "Accident Man"? Find it all out when you read this book by Paul Rimmasch.

My Loving Vigil Keeping/Carla Kelly

Synopsis: 


   "Della's giving up all the comforts of bustling Salt Lake City to teach school in a rural coal mining camp. Little does she know, she may soon be giving up her heart as well. But when tragedy strikes in the Scofield Mine, Della's life will be changed forever. Based on true events."

Review:

   This book was based on true events, which made it all the more real for me. Della may be a fictional character, but she brought the feelings of that day to the forefront of my mind and I felt the devistation of the tragedy like I was there, and she was real.
   Della has struggled to find her place in the world after her father died in a coal mining accident when she was 12 years old. Having not known her mother and had no other family close by, she was sent to live with her Uncle and Aunt in Salt Lake City Utah. Her Aunt and Cousins despised her and her Uncle was clueless to it. Even though she lived with them, she was alone and had to fend for herself.
   She needed to get away and took a teaching job at Winter's Quarters, a coal mining camp. At first the families in the area looked down on her and couldn't figure out why a spoiled rich girl had taken a teaching job there in the first place. They didn't realize her Father was a coal miner and she was practically an orphan from 12 and on.
   As the story unfolds there is laughter, drama, respect, understanding and love. Oh, and lots and lots of singing! Follow Della, or even become her as you read this book. Share her emotions and strategies as she starts to find her way to a place where she finally feels like she can belong.
   Another great read from Carla Kelly! She even put information at the back of the book about the mine explosion and some more details of the real families and what happened to them after this tragedy. Perhaps there will be a sequel for Della where she finds her mother?? Either way pick up this book and transport yourself back in time and fall in love with the coal miners and their families!

Carnival Girl/Sonja Herbert

Review:

    I didn't put down a synopsis because Sonja wrote a beautiful guest blog just below that explains her book and a few other tidbits of life after the Carnival. So please take a minute and read that when you get the chance.
   What a moving book, to read the memories and real life experience of Sonja! It was a journey for me to take in what it was like for her to grow up in Germany after WWII. Having a Mother who was half Jew and her having to hide out from the Nazi's. How utterly sad! But she made it through strong. Every chapter was usually a different age of Sonja's life and her memories of her Parents and siblings just trying to survive and make ends meat while being part of a moving carnival.
    I really enjoyed having pictures to look at as well, and knowing who I was reading about! It brought the book to life. These are real people and real emotions to take in. This family is strong, and even though Sonja's family was very opinionated about her new Faith, they didn't get in her way when she wanted to get baptized (except for her mother asking her to wait a year to see if she would still be interested).
    Get to know Sonja and her Mutti (Mother) and Vati (Father) and her siblings. Your heart will go out to them through their trials and accomplishments. Thanks Sonja for giving us a glimpse into your life! :)

Guest Blog by Sonja Herbert/Carnival Girl

Guest Blog by Sonja Herbert:

As a young girl, my half-Jewish mother hid from the Nazis in a circus. The rightful owner saw her and fell in love with her. After the war, they were married. Because of the lack of food for the artists and the animals, my father lost the circus. So he raised his family in a tiny carnival, traveling the small towns in central Germany to keep his rapidly growing family fed.
I was the second child of six. Even though I can’t remember the war, I remember the devastation, both physical and spiritual, which the German people lived with afterward. Ruins and unexploded bombs littered the cities, and lost and orphaned children overwhelmed the orphanages. Food was hard to come by, and education was almost non-existent, especially for us carnival children, since we traveled from town to town every week or two.
My mother, emotionally burned and disillusioned, rejected any kind of religion and never taught her children about God. However, when I was eight, I had a vision and developed a strong desire to be in a church, to live in a house and to have God love and approve of me. I had to hide such feelings from my family, because they made fun of them.
As I grew older, Germany, along with our family, became more prosperous. At fourteen, I met the LDS missionaries. Against my family’s ridicule and the overwhelming odds of living in a traveling carnival and having to work every Sunday, I converted.
A year later, my parents divorced, and through the divorce God’s loving hand worked the miracle I needed to reach my goal of living in a real house and being able to go to church on Sundays instead of having to run a carnival attraction.
However, I did see my father regularly when he came to our town and in the winters. He met my American fiancée, a GI stationed in Germany, and they became good friends, in spite of the religious differences. My father passed away two years after I followed my husband to the U. S. My mother, however is still going strong at 91, in Stuttgart, Germany.
Can you envision living that way? Read Carnival Girl, and you’ll discover a new world!

Bio:
Sonja Herbert and her five siblings were raised in a caravan, traveling the carnival circuit from town to town in post-WWII Germany.
Sonja converted to the LDS Church, served a mission, married an American soldier, and immigrated to the USA. She received a BA at SUU in Cedar City, and an MA in Language Acquisition from Brigham Young University, taught high school, German, and ESL for many years, and is now a full time writer. A mother of six and grandmother of thirteen, she resides in Provo, Utah. Contact her at germancarnivalgirl.com, germanwriter.com, or frauherbert@comcast.net.

 

Charlie's Girl/Mary Helen&Daniel Foxx

Synopsis: 

   "Fourteen-year-old Rosalind has always been a foster girl without a past, until she’s sent to live with a long-lost grandmother in a house full of memories—and secrets. Soon Rosalind discovers that there’s more to her family history than she ever dreamed. Set in 1960s South Carolina, this unforgettable story of family, friendship, and faith is perfect for readers of all ages."

Review: 


   Rosalind became an orphan when she was still a baby after being in a car crash that killed both her parents. Going from foster home to foster home until at age 14, her grandmother Grace finally is able to find her and bring her back to where her father grew up in South Carolina.
  Grace, having lost her son (Charlie) and her husband (Sam) the same day, brings her into shock and depression. Finally after 11 years of loss she realizes she still has her granddaughter Rosalind. On first meeting, Grace is disapointed to see that Rosalind looks nothing like her dear Charlie but exactly like her sons wife Nellie. She never really liked Nellie, and thought she was leading her son away from her and their beliefs.
   This book shows a mother's loss, but also a granddaughters gain. They need each other, even though at first it is difficult.  Rosalind, with the help of Grace and her new friend Emily are able to find information on her family, through a geneology assignment at school.
   If you are a fan of Geneology will will enjoy this book! I was sad when it ended where it did, it left me wondering about Rosalind's mother and her family.....Maybe there will be a sequel called Nellie's Girl??! All the way through it tugged at my heart strings. The love of a family is so important especially when hearts need healing. The Author's brought love, hope, friendship, sadness, heartache, and faith all in one. It was a sweet and enduring book. I know I want to delve more into my family history now!

Daughters of Jared/H. B. Moore

Synopsis:

    "Naiva, daughter of the dethroned King Jared II, lives in the shadow of her privileged elder sister, Asherah. But when Asherah develops a secret plot to return their father to the throne, Naiva's resentment turns to fear. Thwarting the scheme becomes more complicated when Naiva discovers that Akish, the first man who has shown interest in her, is an integral part of the plan.
    Asherah traps Akish in a ploy to make him marry her, breaking Naiva's heart and leaving her feeling more alone than ever. Somehow she must find the strength to stand against the encroaching evil in the kingdom and a sister who will stop at nothing to become queen. When Akish's wickedness escalates and threatens to destroy the bonds of sisterhood, Naiva must decide between protecting her sister and honoring her new belief in the true god-a forbidden belief that could cost her life."

Review:

    I love when Author's take events from history and add a heartfelt story, and make it come to life even more! Even though this book is a work of Fiction, it has characters who are well known from the Book of Mormon. We have Asherah, who dances for Akish and she becomes his wife. Even though Akish has eyes for Ashera's younger sister Naiva, who's point of view this book is written. Naiva enjoys Akish's attentions at first, but when she hears of the plot to kill her Grandfather, and Akish is the one who will gladly do it, with the help of her sister and father's encouragement. Being trapped by devotion to her family, Naiva takes you on a journey of sorrow, heartache, evil, love, and the realization that she is not alone and her prayers are heard even if they are not answered when she wants or in the way she thinks they should happen.
    Naiva is a true heroin who loves unceasingly, while everyone and everything around her are falling apart. With Faith she presses forward until the day she can be free of her burdens and be with the man she loves. Even if it takes her years.
    Heather is a very talented historical novelist! I have read other books of hers and it always marvels me at how much research and work she has to put into her novels. Never disapointed with what she puts out. Some of her other books include: Abinidi, Alma, Alma the Younger, and Ammon. If you love history, drama, and even romance, go find these books and get started! :)