ELDERS by Ryan McIlvain

I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I picked up a copy of ELDERS. I know very little about the Mormon faith and I assumed this novel would be a more tongue-in-cheek look at Mormons on their mission. I was so surprised to discover what a thoughtful and sensitive portrayal of young Mormon men the book provided.

Elder McLeod is nearing the end of his mission in Brazil. During his time there, he has struggled with his faith and his purpose. He isn't sure if he believes in either the faith of his fathers or in his mission. However, he is afraid of disappointing his family back home. His new partner, Elder Passos, is a Brazilian convert who looks at his mission and faith as an opportunity to change his fortunes. He takes his work very seriously and has difficulty with the flippant and sometimes irresponsible nature of his partner. When the two Elders finally find a woman willing to convert, their work with her and her husband brings up issues of their own faith and doubts and challenges their tenuous partnership.

I thought the struggles that these two young men faced were deeply moving. Framing the common struggles of many young people within a Mormon mission in a foreign land only makes it that much more powerful. The book is both sad and thoughtful. I was so surprised by how serious it was and how much it made me think about issues of faith and doubt. I really enjoyed it.

BOTTOM LINE: Recommended.  This is a sad and quiet book about the struggles young people can face when their faith is challenged.

June Read: Catch-up Month

I FINALLY got a copy of SIMPLICITY PARENTING from the library so I am behind.  Are you?  Let's give ourselves a month to catch up.  I am working on picking a title for July but I already have one for August.  It's a new book that comes out on August 13 called THE BIG DISCONNECT: PROTECTING CHILDHOOD AND FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS IN THE DIGITAL AGE.  I can't wait to read it.

So, let's use June as a catch-up month for now. Check back later for July's title.  I will also work on catching up with all the reviews I am behind on!

THE BOOKMAN'S TALE by Charlie Lovett and ****GIVEAWAY****

I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher.

I just devoured Charlie Lovett's new book, THE BOOKMAN'S TALE.  I am always drawn to literary mysteries. Especially when they involve books. These types of tales aren't always successful, though.  In this case, I was pleasantly surprised.

Peter Bylerly, an antiquarian bookseller, is still reeling from the sudden death of his wife Amanda.  He escapes to the English countryside to try and work through his grief while re-establishing his career. As Peter browses through some titles at a local bookstore, a Victorian watercolor portrait falls out of a book about Shakespeare forgeries. The portait looks just like Amanda. Peter becomes obsessed with finding the origins of the mysterious portrait.  As he does so, he becomes caught up in a game of forgery and the potential discovery of a lifetime regarding William Shakespeare.

I loved how Lovett not only gave us a wonderful portrait of a grieving widower trying to lose himself in his old interests but also interweaves the tale of the various owners of what may or may not be the Holy Grail of Shakespeare scholarship.  We follow the book's progress through various owners over time as, in the present day, Peter works to uncover its origins and to decide whether or not the book is a fake. In some ways, this novel reminded me of PEOPLE OF THE BOOK by Geraldine Brooks.  It made me want to run out and take a few courses on bookbinding and book restoration.  The pacing of the book was really well done and the story was entertaining. While the climax was slightly cheesy, it didn't deter from my enjoyment at all.

BOTTOM LINE:  Recommended.  A great read for bibliophiles.  Perfect for Summer vacation.

I get to give away a copy of this great book!!!

Entry #1:  Leave me a comment telling me why you are interested in this book.

Entry #2:  Follow me on Facebook.

Entry #3: Follow me on Twitter.

Please leave a comment for each entry along with a way for me to contact you.  This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only and closes on May 31, 2013 at 4:30pm PST.

And the random number generator selected comment #2.  Congrats to Genevieve!

WHEN A DAD SAYS "I LOVE YOU" by Douglas Wood

I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher.

I was so pleased to have the opportunity to review this sweet book just in time for Father's Day.  Sometimes, people express their love in ways other than using words. This book offers a variety of ways that dads say "I love you" that are out of the ordinary.  The illustrations are charming:

Each page features a different animal pair and represents both sons and daughters doing all sorts of activities with Dads.  We have dads making pancakes, dads playing chase, dads tickling, dads singing, dads doing magic and much more.  The book ends with a dad saying "I love you" in the traditional way at bedtime. It is so sweet!

This would make a great Father's Day gift and I love the fact that it would encourage dads and kids to read together.  It's the perfect bedtime story. I absolutely loved it!

BOTTOM LINE:  Highly recommended. A sweet cozy read full of the many ways that dads can say "I love you."

May Read: SIMPLICITY PARENTING

I am still working on LAST CHILD IN THE WOODS and I am really enjoying it. At this time of year, it is an excellent reminder about the importance of getting outdoors and into nature.

For May, I thought we'd try a book I have been wanting to read for awhile now:

Can't wait to see what you think!!!

TOM'S TREE: A Book for Arbor Day

National Arbor Day is this Friday, April 26.  I happened to find a delightful book in a bargain bin that I plan on giving my little boy for Arbor Day:

TOM'S TREE by Gillian Shields and Gemma Raynor is an incredibly sweet book about a little boy who plants a tree and makes big plans about all the things he will do when the tree gets big.  But trees take a long time to grow and the boy grows up before the tree does.  At the end of the book, the returns as a man and brings his own son who gets to have all the adventures with the tree that his father always dreamed of.  While the book has a lot to say about patience, it is also a wonderful reminder of the beauty and joy of nature in general and trees in particular.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!! It definitely brought a tear or two to my eyes.

CLOSE MY EYES by Sophie McKenzie

I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher.

A lot of people were comparing this book to GONE GIRL when I received it so I was really excited to read it. I love a good suspense novel that plays mind games with the reader. In some ways, this is that kind of book.  Geniver Loxley's daughter was stillborn eight years ago and she cannot move on.  Her husband, Art, has been able to pick up the pieces and create a successful business but Geniver can't seem to cope.  One day, a strange woman shows up at Geniver's door and tells her that her child is still alive.  How can that be? Is it true?  Geniver can't let go of the possibility and begins to try and find out the truth.  Her journey turns to fear and paranoia the deeper she goes into the past and the truth. 

This was such a fun read. I couldn't put it down. I took it with me wherever I went. As a mom myself, I found the story to be such a nightmare and I just had to know what was going to happen.  That being said, I found the ending really disappointing. It just wasn't believable to me.  Still, this is fun read that would be perfect for taking on vacation.

BOTTOM LINE:  Recommended. Even though the ending was disappointing, I still found this to be a fun and exciting read.  I couldn't put it down! Bring it on vacation with you and plan on staying up late to read it!

Being Safe in the Face of Tragedy

"Safe means that you are being your best self and living the life you’ve imagined even in the face of uncertainty. It means that you are being kind and brave – to yourself and to others – even if you are afraid. Even when you don’t know what’s going to happen next."

-Glennon Doyle Melton

Climbing out of the Muck

So far, 2013 has been a year of illness in my little family.  I have been down for the past few weeks with a severe sinus infection among other ailments.  But I'm finally crawling out of the muck! And I have so many reviews to share with you!

In the meantime, I did manage to drag my sickly body (complete with giant cold sore) to a booksigning with Jenny Lawson. I couldn't pass up an opportunity to meet one of my favorite writers.  Many of you will remember that her memoir, LET'S PRETEND THIS NEVER HAPPENED, was one of my favorite books last year.  I was happy to hear that she will have a new book on mental illness coming out next year. 

Lawson famously suffers from social anxiety among other disorders but she seemed completely at ease to me.  She couldn't have been sweeter or more gracious and patient.  Made me love her even more!!!

(me with The Bloggess!)

I wore my shirt with the cats on it in honor of the occasion.

I don't get to attend many booksignings these days but I'm so glad I got to go to this one.

I can't wait to share with you what I have been reading!  Stay tuned!!!

(In the meantime, I'm thinking about soap and other weight issues on my creative blog today.)

April Read: LAST CHILD IN THE WOODS

I hope you enjoyed the "light" selection for March. After reading BRINGING UP BEBE, I realized that I was already intuitively doing a lot of "French" parenting.  It made me really jealous reading about the superlative French creche system.  What I wouldn't have given for a state-sponsored childcare program like that!!!!

This month, we are moving away from focusing on education and success to a different aspect of child development: the importance of getting out in nature.

We'll be reading Louv's book on the importance of connecting children with nature. I'm excited to read this one. I've had it on my bookshelf for awhile and it seems appropriate to read it in Spring.

Hope you enjoy it!!!