Shanda’s Reviews – Page 8 – LDS Women's Book Review

Sworn Enemy by A.L. Sowards

Posted by Shanda Book Reviews, Shanda's Reviews

Jun 272013

Sworn Enemy (Espionage #2)

Author: A.L. Sowards

Publisher: Covenant Communications

Published Date: April 2013

Softcover: 281 pages

Genre: Historical Fiction

ISBN# 978-1-62108-476-1

Reviewed by: Shanda

FTC FYI: free temporary digital copy in exchange for an honest review

Summary

June 1944. As World War II rages, the people of Eastern Europe are hopelessly trapped between two formidable forces: Hitler’s Germany and Stalin’s Soviet Union. In their midst, a band of heroes works to defend against the inevitable Communist takeover.

After narrowly escaping her Nazi captors, French Resistance worker Genevieve Olivier has fled to Allied territory with the help of American Lieutenant Peter Eddy. Their connection is undeniable, forged in the crucible of danger. But despite their blossoming feelings for each other, they must both finish the work they began . . .

In the safety of England, Genevieve hopes to find purpose as a nurse—all the while unaware that the Gestapo still seeks the woman who slipped through their grasp. When she is called upon to resume a life of danger as a French spy, will her desire to prove herself be her downfall?

Recruited by an elite special-ops team intent on thwarting the Nazis, Peter finds himself engaged in a personal battle as well—there is a traitor among his comrades. Deep in the Carpathian Mountains, Peter combats an unknown foe. The stakes are high as he fights to save the lives of his teammates.

They are miles apart, yet as Genevieve and Peter fight for their own survival, they find a common well of strength in their faith—and their determination to be reunited.

Review

Sworn Enemy begins as Peter and Genevieve (introduced in Espionage) are trying to stay ahead of the Gestapo, making their way out of occupied France. While Sworn Enemy can be read alone, reading Espionage provides a richer history of the characters and makes reading Sworn Enemy an even better experience.

Peter and Genevieve are great characters. While Espionage focuses mainly on the beginning of their story and the events leading up to their escape from occupied France, Sworn Enemy finds them facing separation as Genevieve goes to nursing school and Peter leaves as part of team assembled for a specific mission in Romania. There are several other characters I enjoyed as well, especially a certain Polish soldier who I liked just as much as Peter. (Maybe a tiny bit more after that one scene in Bucharest, but you’ll have to read the book to see if you agree with me.)

Peter and Genevieve’s romantic relationship is not at the forefront of the novel. There is plenty of spying, captures, escapes, as well as a battle. Those who enjoy a little romance will like the side story of two other characters in the novel. For those of you who aren’t big romance fans, don’t worry. It’s a nice addition to the story but it is not the focus.

There was a stretch of chapters that focused on Peter and the events he was involved in and the reader doesn’t know what is happening with Genevieve for quite sometime. I would have liked a chapter somewhere in there to update me with Genevieve’s activities, because I was in suspense wondering about that for what felt like a long time. The nature of Peter’s mission (13 team members and some civilians, plus the German & Romanian soldiers and officials, along with occasional use of both first and last names) made for a lot of characters to remember at first, but as I read, it became easier.

What I like about A.L. Sowards’ writing is that the reader can tell that she has done her research and knows a lot about the events and time period, but not because she beats the reader over the head with facts. They are woven into the story and dialogue and it never feels stilted or like a history lecture.

Sworn Enemy is well-written, full of action and suspense, and an enjoyable follow up to Espionage. A.L. Sowards is one of my new favorite historical authors and I definitely look forward to reading more from her in the future.

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In His Hands by Jenny Hess

Posted by Shanda Book Reviews, Shanda's Reviews

Jun 202013

In His Hands: A Mother’s Journey through the Grief of Sudden Loss

Author: Jenny Hess

Publisher: Covenant Communications

Published Date: May 2013

Softcover: 216 pages

Genre: Religious Nonfiction

ISBN# 9781621082514

Reviewed by: Shanda

FTC FYI: received a digital review copy in exchange for an honest review

Summary

With the sudden loss of a loved one comes an unavoidable fork in the road. Some succumb to anger and despair, while others seek strength in the healing power of Jesus Christ. When faced with paralyzing sorrow, how can one truly find peace and perspective? In His Hands offers a candid portrait of grief in which one family fights to find a way out of the black hole of grief and into the arms of the Savior. Author Jenny Hess invites readers on her journey from heartache to healing, from the shattering loss of her young son to her personal quest for hope. With grace and wisdom, the heavenly insights gained by one woman navigating through her darkest hours demonstrate that though grief is achingly painful, there are tender mercies to be found along the path.

Review

Recently, there has been a theme appearing in my life–in books I have been asked to review, in the last Relief Society lesson I prepared and taught, in the conference talks I have read for my morning devotional. The message surrounding me lately is of submitting my will to the Lord, realizing that I can do nothing of myself, that I am utterly indebted to my Savior, and the only thing that is mine to give Him is my will.

I was reminded of this yet again while reading In His Hands, as author Jenny Hess shares the very personal, heart-wrenching and incredibly spiritual experiences of her family after the sudden death of her four-year-old son, Russell.

She opens her heart and history for all to read, sharing the good, the bad, and even some of the ugly, while also bearing her testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel, the incredible gift of the Atonement and Resurrection, and her love of our Savior and Heavenly Father. She doesn’t gloss over the pain and loss she experienced, is still experiencing, after Russell’s death, and yet I couldn’t help but feel the hope of the gospel woven through everything she shared.

I was moved to tears several times. First for the loss the Hess family experienced when their son and brother passed away so suddenly, then later when my heart was touched by the Spirit as Jenny related the experiences that followed, sharing her testimony again and again. In both bitter and sweet times, the Savior’s supporting hand was evident, even if not realized at that exact moment. As a mother of a six-year-old boy, my only son, my heart ached for Jenny as I read, yet my heart was full as I felt the strength her testimony.

In His Hands is more than a book for family members suffering the loss of a loved one. It is a book for everyone. It carries a message of hope through the reality of dark times and testifies of the grand plan of happiness for eternity that exists because of the unconditional and never-ending love of our Heavenly Father and our Savior.

Watch the video about Jenny and her family on Mormon.org

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Living Your Covenants Every Day by Jennifer Brinkerhoff Platt – Blog Tour

Posted by Shanda Book Reviews, Shanda's Reviews

Jun 172013

Living Your Covenants Every Day

Author: Jennifer Brinkerhoff Platt

Publisher: Deseret Book

Published Date: 2013

Paperback/ebook: 144 pages

Genre: Religious Nonfiction

ISBN# 9781609073367

Reviewed by: Shanda

FTC FYI: received a temporary digital review copy that will be removed from my device after a short time

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Summary

The little things we do on a daily basis don’t just matter—they can make all the difference. Intentional daily acts focused on covenant-keeping will bind us to the Savior as we are deliberate and determined to follow Him in small and simple ways.

Drawing upon the teachings and lives of ancient and modern prophets, author Jennifer Brinkerhoff Platt identifies patterns of truth that encourage increased commitment to covenant relationships while diminishing the binding grip of the adversary. Included are chapters on the need to be consistent in covenant- keeping, on recognizing Satan’s tactics and lies, on undoing self-destructive routines, on the role of the Spirit to help us both feel and follow promptings, and on the power of daily scripture study and prayer in establishing habits that reinforce and sup- port our commitment to the Savior.

Review

Living Your Covenants Every Day focuses on the importance of approaching everything you do each day with intention and purpose, that purpose being returning to the presence of Heavenly Father. By treating your activities and goals like rituals with meaning and value, you can more easily see whether they are bringing you closer to the Savior or not.

The author discusses how Satan uses lies to isolate us from others and the love of our Heavenly Father and Savior. By keeping our minds focused on why we are doing what we are doing, we can recognize these lies for what they are and avoid falling into Satan’s traps.

Each chapter includes “homework” to help reinforce the purpose of the chapter to the reader, as well as suggested reading for further study. Intentional scripture study can help us recognize patterns we can apply in our own lives and help us trust in the Lord and His timing. As we seek to do His will and follow His example, the author recommends keeping a journal to document promptings so that we will more easily recognize them in our lives and act on them quickly.

“We please the Lord when we choose Him. Our choices reflect our desires, therefore it is important to learn to educate our desires,meaning to learn to want what the Lord would have us want. It’s not enough to really want something; we must want it in a faithful way, anchored in hope and belief that the Lord is able and willing to bless us with our desires according to His will and timing.” –Living Your Covenants Every Day

One way the author suggests to help us keep our minds on the Savior is reading a conference talk every day. This is something I have been doing for the last several months, and I’ve found that the difference it makes in my day is noticeable. A friend of mine listens to conference talks relevant to her upcoming Sunday School lessons as she gets ready each morning. She mentioned to me that it has helped tremendously in her life as well as with her lesson planning.

Living my life with more intention and purpose is something I have been striving to do each day. Living Your Covenants Every Day has helped me see that while intention and purpose are good they must be directed toward the Savior to be effective.

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Young Chefs by Christina Dymock – Blog Tour

Posted by Shanda Book Reviews, Shanda's Reviews

Jun 132013

Young Chefs

Author: Christina Dymock

Publisher: Cedar Fort

Published Date: June 2013

Paperback: 128 pages

Genre: Children’s Nonfiction/Cookbook

ISBN# 978-1462111954

Reviewed by: Shanda

FTC FYI: received a free digital review copy in exchange for an honest review

Summary (from Cedar Fort)

Kids in the kitchen don’t have to make a mess—as long as they know what they’re doing! Teaching your children how to cook can be daunting, especially when you don’t know where to start. Wipe away your worries with this cookbook made specifically for kids.

Inside you’ll find tips for a variety of cooking techniques, a glossary for common cooking terms, and a book boiling over with recipes written for children such as Peanut Butter Morning Cake, Bobby’s Pork Chops, Pirate Eggs, and Banana Tacos. Along with interesting trivia and a section for needed tools, each recipe outlines which stages require adult help, and each process is broken down into simple, easy-to-follow steps.

Author of 101 Things to Do with Popcorn, Christina Dymock knows the adventures kids can find in the kitchen. Spending cooking time together can only help family relationships. So teach your children the skills found in Young Chefs, and be amazed that your new favorite meals came from the smallest hands.

Review

There is so much to like about Young Chefs by Christina Dymock. The simple recipes appeal to kids and what they like to eat. Cute icons at the top of each recipe tell kids and parents what tools are required so you can know at a glance if your child will need your help. Brightly colored lettering and accents give the book a fun look and help spotlight each recipe.

As a mom of four kids who love to eat, I encourage them to make their own lunches and snacks when possible, but they always fall back on the same stuff. If I’m tired of seeing them eat the same things, I know they must be tired of eating the same things. While there are several recipes to choose from in each section, it is not an overwhelming amount, offering just enough variety that even picky eaters can find something they will like.

Included in the front of the book are tips for young first-time cooks and their parents, a glossary of basic cooking terms, as well as a How-To section with pictures so kids can see how to crack an egg, use a knife, measure ingredients, etc. There are six main recipe sections:

Breakfast: a variety of smoothie, juice, pastry and egg recipes.

Lunch: easy to put together finger foods, roll-ups, and sandwiches, most of which don’t require much cooking. There are a few (like Meatless Lasagna Rolls) that take a little longer and use the oven, something an older child ready to expand their skills might be interested in preparing.

Snacks: range in taste from sweet (Vanilla Mango Pops) to simple (Blonde Trail Mix) to savory (Pig Skins).

Dinner: a delicious selection of recipes like French Bread Pizza, Best Nachos Ever, Slow Cookin’ Taco Soup, and Creamy Dreamy Alfredo Sauce.

Sides: salads, gelatin, and a variety of vegetable selections.

Desserts: includes the good ol’ standby when I was growing up, Frosting Sandwiches, as well as cookies, bars and more.

Young Chefs would make a great summer project, giving kids and parents something to both keep kids occupied and feed them at the same time. With simple ingredients kids recognize and clearly outlined preparation steps, there might just be some some new favorites that your kids will be happy to make for themselves again and again.

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A Way Back to You by Emily Gray Clawson – Blog Tour

Posted by Shanda Blog Tours, Book Reviews, Shanda's Reviews

Jun 102013

A Way Back to You

Author: Emily Gray Clawson

Publisher: Deseret Book

Published Date: 2013

Paperback/ebook: 208 pages

Genre: Romance

ISBN# 978-1609075217

Reviewed by: Shanda

FTC FYI: received a temporary digital review copy that will be removed from my device after a short period of time

Summary

What would you do if you were given a second chance?

Annabelle, whom nearly everyone calls Anne, has been stuck in the past for two years. Numbed by grief over her husband’s unexpected death and overwhelmed with the responsibility of raising their three young children alone, Anne agrees to let a friend take the kids for the weekend while she tries to get some much-needed rest at her parent’s home.

But when Anne wakes up the next morning, she is suddenly sixteen again. And it just happens to be the worst day she spent as a teenager.

High school the second time around brings unforeseen changes and frustrations, but remembering that her future husband, Mitch, has just returned from a mission and is living on the other side of town gives Anne hope. Getting Mitch’s attention (for the second time) is more complicated than she could have imagined, but Anne discovers she is stronger than she believed possible—and there just might be a future for her after all.

Review

I can honestly say I’ve never read a book quite like this one. As a reviewer, I love to discover books that surprise me. A Way Back to You did so more than once.

The book starts out on a more serious note with Annie, a mother of three young children and a widow of three years, struggling through one of the hardest days of her life since losing her husband. Instead of coming across as depressing or overly heavy, though, it was an intriguing and relatable opening, at least as far as the hard mothering days. By midway through the second chapter I was emotionally invested in Anne’s story, even blinking back a few tears as I read.

It had been a while since I read the summary for A Way Back to You, so I was pleasantly surprised when Anne awoke as a teenager. I enjoy time travel books, but don’t read many where the character travels back to a time in their own life. The clothing descriptions took me back to my own high school years. The frequent tears and mood swings experienced by Anne as her 38-year-old intellect dealt with frustrating teenage hormones made me grateful I would never be a teenager again.

The romance aspect of the story embraced both the more mature love of married adults as well as the teenage crush-turned-love experiences. I was satisfied with the romantic resolution and glad for Annie, though I could see how some might consider it a little too convenient. My romantic heart was happy with the ending, though, and I think other readers who enjoy a good clean romance will like it, too. I definitely look forward to reading more from Emily.

Visit Emily:

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Are We Special? by Jeffrey S. Reber and Steven P. Moody – Blog Tour

Posted by Shanda Blog Tours, Book Reviews, Shanda's Reviews

Jun 032013

Are We Special? The Truth and the Lie about God’s Chosen People

Authors: Jeffrey S. Reber, PhD, and Stephen P. Moody, MSW

Publisher: Deseret Book

Published Date: 2013

Softcover/DB Bookshelf ebook: 266 pages

Genre: Religious Nonfiction

ISBN# 978-1609075163

Reviewed by: Shanda

FTC FYI: received a temporary digital review copy that will be removed from my device by the publisher after a short time

Summary

Have you ever felt you might be special?

Where does that feeling come from—and what does it really mean?

The truth is that we are special, because we are all beloved children of our Heavenly Father, and we enjoyed a special, personal relationship with Him before coming to earth. Having left His presence, we feel a void, a homesickness that reminds us that we are more than mortal beings and inclines us toward our Father and His love.

But we are sometimes persuaded by the lie that we are more special than others. The lie lifts us above others, creates feelings of entitlement, and convinces us that the void we feel signifies our personal destiny for glory. It inclines us to seek fame, prestige, or wealth as proof of our superiority over others.

Each of us is constantly enticed by this truth and this lie, and we respond to both using four strategies to manage our acceptance or denial, each with its defining feature of pride, despair, selfishness, or true discipleship. In Are We Special? authors Jeffrey Reber and Steven Moody show us how to increase our acceptance of the truth and denial of the lie in order to become true disciples of Jesus Christ.

Review

I love a clean cover with lots of white space and simple, eye-catching art. With a question for a title and the dichotomy of the subtitle, I was intrigued from the start. How can our being “special” be both a truth AND a lie? It definitely urged me to read on and find out how it all fit together.

Being told all throughout childhood that we were a special generation that would lead the way into the millennium, etc., unintentionally encouraged me to have a somewhat inflated attitude regarding myself and those of my generation in the Church.There is an emphasis in my generation’s culture about feeling special and making sure your kids feel special. I have always felt like there was something wrong with that but couldn’t quite explain why. Now I understand that it isn’t recognizing that we are special that’s the problem, it’s feeling MORE special than someone else that is the real issue.

The authors state that being separated from our Father in Heaven during our time in mortality creates a void that Satan takes advantage of, tempting us to follow selfish, denigrating interests to fill what only a close relationship with our Father can only ever truly fill. It is that strong and special bond we enjoyed before this life that we miss and often end up trying to replace with empty, meaningless and even harmful pursuits.

They go on to explain the TRUTH and the LIE: While we, as children of God, are indeed special to Him, as members of the Church, we might mistakenly consider ourselves of more worth to Heavenly Father than His other children. We ARE special to our Heavenly Father, but we are not MORE special to Him.

“We can believe the adversary’s lie and try to fill our void with the false belief that we are better than others rather than lowly and humble servants of all.” –Are We Special?

The chapter examining the Pharisees had the most impact on me. I am guilty of sitting in Sunday School, answering “No” to the question, “Are you like the Pharisees of old?” After reading this section, I have learned there is a subtlety to these Pharisaical characteristics that, at one time or another, I have indeed been guilty of possessing.

Another section that really stood out to me was entitled “Sin and Perfection.” I have had issues with perfectionism most of my life, and there was one sentence that opened my eyes in a way that nothing else has previously. The authors explain that the root of the word translated into “perfect” in certain scriptures of the Bible means “whole” or “complete,” which I had previously known but had never considered in the context of my current relationship with my Savior:

“Perfection, understood relationally, is not a property of the individual; it is a quality of relationship with the divine.” –Are We Special?

The authors don’t just focus on the ways we struggle with being self-centered, modern-day Pharisees. They also discuss how we can be true disciples of Christ, submitting our will to His and accepting the fullness of His love so that we can truly love others.

He delighted in the happiness of others, the happiness He could bring them. –Are We Special?

They encourage readers to take time to meditate and reflect, staying mindful about activities and if they are helping to develop a closer relationship with Christ. Each chapter and section is full of layers and depth that I did not expect and that have changed so much about the way I view myself and others, including my Savior and Father in Heaven. Everything relates back to the Savior and His Atonement for us, as well as the immense and incomprehensible Love that He and Heavenly Father have for every one of us.

Without hesitation, I recommend this book to everyone. There is wisdom and insight in this book to which my review cannot do justice. I will be purchasing copies of Are We Special? for myself and several loved ones. Visit the links below to learn more about Are We Special?, the authors, and how to purchase a copy for yourself.

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