Dec 142011
11 days until Christmas
We are taking a break from author spotlights for today (because I’m too sick to put one together) to ask you, our most amazing and appreciated LDSWBR readers, to answer a question for us.
Comments on this post will count as an entry into the Countdown to Christmas 2011 drawing.
Ready? Here we go.
What LDS author/books/series did you enjoy reading the most this year and what do you appreciate most about books written by LDS authors?
Thanks, everyone!
Going back to bed now with my box of tissues and humidifier.
To enter the Countdown to Christmas 2011 contest, complete the following and then tell us what you did:
- **Required entry (+1) – Leave a thoughtful comment on this post. (More than just “Great contest!” please.) You must leave a comment on this post for your other entries to count. If you are reading this post through email or an RSS reader, please click through to leave a comment.
- Bonus entry (+1) – No bonus entry today because my head is too stuffy to think of one.
- Additional entries (one time +1 entry each) – 1) Subscribe to LDSWBR through email 2) Follow @LDSWBR on Twitter 3) Like LDS Women’s Book Review on Facebook (all found at the the top of the right sidebar on the LDSWBR blog). NOTE: If you already subscribe through email, follow us on Twitter, or Like us on Facebook you must tell us in a comment for the extra entries to count.
- By leaving a comment and entering the Countdown to Christmas 2011, you agree to the contest information found here.
***If you haven’t read the contest rules and info, read them here.***
Book prizes donated by their authors:
- Montana Summer by Jeanette Miller (new addition to the prize list!)
- Ribbon of Darkness by Julie Coulter Bellon
- Not My Type by Melanie Jacobson
- Cinder & Ella by Melissa Lemon (ebook)
- Pride & Popularity by Jenni James
- The Kissing Tree by Prudence Bice
- Rearview Mirror by Stephanie Black (paperback or Kindle)
- The Next Door Boys by Jolene B. Perry
- Winner’s choice of one of the books in the Sadie Hoffmiller Culinary Mystery Series by Josi S. Kilpack (including Banana Split which will be released in February 2012)
- Seeking Persephone by Sarah M. Eden
- Obsession by Traci Hunter Abramson
- Circle of Secrets by Kimberley Griffiths Little
- Indelible by Lani Woodland and a swag bag!
- Identity by Betsy Love
- The Hainan Incident by D.M. Coffman (autographed copy)
- Count Down to Love by Julie N. Ford
- Geek Girl by Cindy C. Bennett
- The Breakup Artist by Shannen Crane Camp
- Seers by Heather Frost
Don’t forget to comment! Merry Christmas and happy reading!
16 Responses to “A Question for You – Countdown to Christmas 2011”
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
I know I’ve read a ton of LDS author books this year and loved them, but I can’t think right now so I’ll just tell you the most recent. The Breakup Artist by Shannen Crane Camp. Actually I’m just assuming she’s LDS, I don’t know that for sure. =) I loved her book, it was so light and fun and entertaining. I’ll be posting my review on my blog soon!
LDS authors are great to read because, normally, they keep the content free of sex and language. I only want to read “clean” books.
I hope it’s not cheating to highlight two favorites, but I first have to give a shout-out to Traci Hunter Abramson for “Obsession:” I was excited to read another appendage to the Saint Squad series. Secondly, the best newly-discovered author for me this year was Sarah M. Eden. I started with “The Kiss of a Stranger” and simply had to read her other ones because they were SO well written! She has a delightful sense of humor and such touching characters. And it is so wonderful to read witty Regency romances without having to worry about passages I’ll have to skip over. Eden finds a good blend in her books between spiritual and secular subjects without being preachy. I appreciate much of the inspiration I find in LDS novels, but some authors try to force God into their novels.
It’s too hard to pick just one book or author! There have been so many this year that I’ve enjoyed. I especially love the light-hearted, romantic stories so Melanie Jacobson and Sarah Eden are at the top of my list. I appreciate the fact that LDS authors provide great stories that have elements of spirituality without being “preachy” and are “clean” in terms of language and sexual content, but can still include some romance and happily-ever-after (my favorite).
Hope you’re feeling better soon!
I’ve enjoyed the Paranormalcy series so far. Clean and entertaining.
Love reading so many others as well because I know the books and language will be uplifting. I can recommend many LDS authors knowing the books won’t offend even the most delicate reader. :)
My favourite LDS writer for 2011 is Prudence Bice. Her first book was The Widower’s Wife and her second that just came out is The Kissing Tree. Both good reads. They are romances. Try them.
I wasn’t able to read as many books as I wanted this year due to work challenges and a new baby but I did read “The List”, which I mentioned in another post. I would love to read more books by Melanie Jacobson because I loved that book so much.
I like literature written by LDS authors because I know that there will not be any bad language. Also, there are themes and challenges that I can relate to at times.
I hope everyone feels better soon. Everyone but me was sick in my house last week so I understand.
Hi y’all! I recently found your blog and have really enjoyed it. I’m always looking for well-written, clean romance novels, so I really appreciate the work of the LDS and Christian communities. And someday, I hope to be published and part of it. :)
The best book I read this year was Sarah M. Eden’s “Seeking Persephone”. It was fantastic and one of my all-time favorite books. What a gifted writer!
p.s. I subscribe to your RSS feed.
p.p.s. I liked you on Facebook.
Thank you! And I hope you feel better soon, Shanda!
Aw, Shanda, sorry to hear you’re sick. There’s certainly a lot of cruddy stuff going around. I’m going to categorize my response.
Favorite book/series I read out loud to my husband:
Traci Hunter Abramson’s Saint Squad. She makes my husband cry every single book.
My favorite book/series that hit me in a powerful way but my husband wanted nothing to do with them:
Dan Wells’ I Am Not A Serial Killer series. There’s something in these books that really hit home for me. I have three children who suffer from mental illness. As hard as these books were for me to read, they were inspirational anyway.
This is really hard, I have so many. I love Sarah Eden, all of her books are amazing. I love Ally Condie. I’d have to agree about the Paranormalcy series. I also like Jason Wright’s books and Obsession by Tracy Hunter Abramson was amazing! Jessica Day George’s books are also fabulous. And I’ve been enjoying Carla Kelly’s books. too!
I read a lot of LDS books, because they are clean! I hate it when you pick up a national bestseller and find all of the language and other bad things included in those books.
I love Josi Kilpack’s culinary mystery series! I love the recipes she includes in her books! There are many other authors I enjoy also. I prefer LDS author books because I don’t have to be embarrassed by language, sex, violence, etc. I have been able to strengthen my gospel knowledge through some of the books also because different views of things have been brought out. LDS author genre is my favorite!
Aw, hope you’re feeling better! Like a commenter above, I have loved Josi Kilpack’s books! I love reading books by LDS authors because I know that I can share the books with my young kids and not be concerned about the content.
I follow you by e-mail and Facebook.
I hope you’re feeling better! :( I love Kiersten White’s Paranormalcy series. And Melanie Jacobson. You don’t have to worry about finding a surprise scene when you’re reading one of there books. They’re funny, clean and just plain fun. :)
I have loved discovering Melanie Jacobson and Heather Horrocks. But I would have to say the one I have read the most this year is Traci Hunter Abramson. I act as a sort of library to young women in my home ward who have a hard time finding funny/romantic/dramatic, ect books. I love that for the most part I can lend them my LDS fiction books ( the older teen girls at least, i’m not sure the 7 year olds would like them quite yet;-) and assure their parents that the books are clean just as much as I can assure the girls that they will like the books. Two of the girls have started their own library of LDS fiction and I will let them know about this website to give them more ideas!
This year, I really enjoyed the Upside of Down by Rebecca Talley and Seeking Persephone by Sarah Eden. Haunts Haven by Joan Soward was also fun. I appreciate books that can be trusted to be clean. I also like books that are spiritually grounded without being preachy. I recently read Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson which I enjoyed, but it was clear that the author isn’t a fan of organized religion. Many books by LDS authors, on the other had, how we can be blessed in the midst of our trials.