LDS Women's Book Review

Tamara Hart Heiner lives in Arkansas with her husband and three children. She graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in English. She teaches English in the mornings and spends the rest of the day avoiding the laundry and other chores, all in the name of parenting. Sometimes she gets to sit down in front of the computer and write for a few hours.

Perilous is Tamara's first novel. You can visit Tamara on her website: Tamara Hart Heiner, her blog: Chasing Dreams, on Facebook and on Twitter @tamaraheiner.

Lori Nawyn is the author of one novel, one illustrated picture book, one Christmas gift booklet, and short stories included in four seasonal anthologies. What Are You Thinking? is a full color children's picture book that deals with the power of postive thinking. It was published by ThoughtsAlive Publishing (Leslie Householder, New York Times best selling author of the Jack Rabbit Factor--the book is a children's version of the Jack Rabbit Factor), and a Christmas novel, My Gift to You. Watch the trailer for My Gift to You here.

Visit with Lori on her website: Lori Nawyn, her blog: Hearts and Hands, Facebook and Twitter @LoriNawyn.

Stephanie Humphreys is a debut author. Her first book, Finding Rose, was published in August by Walnut Springs Press. You can visit Stephanie on her website: Stephanie Humphreys, her blog: Write Bravely and on Facebook.

Joan Sowards lives in Arizona with her husband and very eligible RM sons. Her life revolves around their five children and three grandchildren. Besides writing fiction, she is a family history addict, and composes a song each year based on the assigned YW scripture. (All available at joansowards.com)

Visit her blog at joansowards.blogspot.com and on Facebook.

Read her novels: Haunts Haven (an LDS ghost story) and Chocolate Roses (a Jane Eyre parody) as well as The Star Prophecy (Nephite young men set sail to Jerusalem in search of the Christ Child) all available at LDS bookstores and Amazon.com.

Visit Eric Shuster on his website and blog: www.ericshuster.com, on Facebook and on Twitter @eshuster.

Charles "Chuck" Sale has been writing and editing for more than 40 years, but he took more time than that to become a Latter-day Saint. He and his wife were baptized in November 2002.

He began writing and editing during his 30-year career in the Los Angeles Police Department. As a young police officer, he was directly involved in street operations to quell the 1965 Watts riots. This led to extensive research, writing, and editing in the development of plans for large-scale emergencies. He was involved in initial discussions of the SWAT concept and administrative support for early SWAT training. He wrote the station defense manual for the Los Angeles Police Academy. During the Vietnam war era, he worked on plans for the security of key political figures, including the President of the United States, and played a leadership role in policing violent demonstrations against the war. He was involved in the investigation of the Robert Kennedy assassination. In the early 1970s, Chief of Police Ed Davis loaned him to the federal Task Force on Police to help write proposed standards and goals for local law enforcement agencies across the nation. He edited the book, Police, in which these standards and goals were published. He was also editor and co-author of Human Relations in the Police Service, a handbook that teaches the human relations principles police officers must master to realize professional excellence. Both books found their way into law enforcement agencies and the police science departments of colleges and universities across the country.

Mr. Sale served as adjutant to numerous LAPD command and staff officers, including former Chief of Police Daryl Gates. He developed curriculum and taught at the Los Angeles Police Academy and Glendale College, hosted an LAPD public-service talk show for KABC radio, and conducted an editorial review of security plans for the 1984 Olympic Games. In the latter part of his law enforcement career, he led the Special Projects Unit, which provided administrative support to the Chief of Police. He supervised a wide variety of research and development projects, including work with Jack Cover, inventor of the TASER. He was the speechwriter for the Chief of Police and members of his general staff. Sale has extensive experience in rapid stand-up and operation of field command posts and was for many years on the staff of the Emergency Operations Center, the City-wide emergency command post. He served there during the 1992 riots and other City-wide emergencies.

During those years, he was also a part-time proofreader for the Los Angeles Times and an editorial adviser to doctoral candidates at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech).

Then and now, Mr. Sale does freelance writing, editing, and management consulting for a wide range of clients. He founded Sale & Associates, a management consulting and administrative services firm. His wife, Teri, is a CPA and former Director of Finance, Universal Pictures Marketing. She and others participate in the work of Sale & Associates.

Mr. Sale was born in California, and graduated from California State University, Los Angeles, with a degree in English. He is the father of five children and the grandfather of seven. He and his wife, Teri, live in Colorado Springs.

Laurie (LC) Lewis is the author of six books, four of which are part of her "Free Men and Dreamers" series. The fifth book in the series is due to be released in March. Laurie has an obvious appreciation for the early years of US history.

Blink of an Eye is the first book that I have read from Gregg Luke, and I was really impressed. The writing was done well, and I enjoyed the way Joseph's story was told, through the present, past, and dreams.

Joseph Ramirez is driving, turning left at an intersection, and in the blink of an eye his whole life changed. He is hit by a cement truck, and hurt badly. In fact, Joseph stays in a coma for three weeks. During his recovery he has visits from his family. His mother in particular, isn't very thrilled with his recent conversion to the LDS church. And has some things put on his chart that Joseph isn't happy about. Aside from that, Joseph loves his mother. What Joseph can't explain is since the accident, he keeps remembering things from his childhood. Terrible things. Events that have been blocked from his memory until now. A monster that hurts him and at times, his mother. Joseph's dreams are very real, he wakes up screaming most nights, drenched in sweat. But, after he awakens, Joseph cannot remember the details. Joseph turns to his siblings for help, buy they would rather let the past stay in the past. To make matters worse, as he tries to get the bottom of his dreams, he has some problems that come up from the accident.

I liked how the author added in explanations here and there of the church, without being preachy, and made our beliefs easy to relate to and understand. I really enjoyed the ending, and thought that with all that Joseph has been through, he will be alright. He experienced unspeakable things as a child, and ended up an admirable man. There was one thing I wanted answered that wasn't, but not getting my answer didn't make me enjoy the book any less.

4 out of 5 stars

Author: Nevil Shute

Publisher: Vintage International/Vintage Books

Published: Original Date 1950

ISBN: 978-0-307-47400-1

Paperback: 351 pages

FTC- I borrowed from a friend, but will be purchasing my own copy.

If you are looking for something wonderful and inspirational to read this Thanksgiving holiday, I have the book for you. I read this amazing book for book club this month, and I didn't want it to end. *Word of advice, don't read the back cover, it will pretty much give the whole story away*.

"A Town Like Alice" is the story of Jean Paget. She inherits a small fortune from her long lost uncle who has passed away. Jean's uncle's lawyer, Noel Strachan, tells Jean's story. During World War II when the Japanese take over Malaya, Jean is there working. She has lived there a few years, but lived in Malaya previously when she was younger, so she was familiar with cultures and can speak the language. When Jean is taken by Japanese officers, she is with a friend and her family. The men are taken away, the woman and children are forced to walk hundreds of miles over the course of many months, from village to village, because no one wanted them. Many get sick, and a good deal die. Jean is an amazing strength to these woman, and a tremendous help because she knows the language, and traditions of the people. With that, Jean could also communicate some with the Japanese officers. The other woman who had lived there years longer then her, never bothered.

Jean meets Joe Harman in one of towns and... well, you have to find out the rest. The part in Malaya is a great step in Jean's journey, but what does she want do with the rest of her life?

What I loved most about the book was, of course, Jean. She is an remarkable woman with so much strength and humor. Her reasoning, and why she wants to do what is does, is what I like most about her. Jean is also very humble. Her journey through Malaya makes her well-known, and she can't understand why. Jean also falls in love, and sticks to her standards. I also enjoyed the way the story is told. I liked the jump from Jean telling Noel her story, to him (in a way) telling us different pieces about her life too. Noel is in charge of her trust, so she writes to him now and then for money and advice. Also, keep in mind this story was written on the 50's, so in a couple scenes, things are said differently, and mean different things then they do know. The ending left me teary, I loved what Noel thought of Jean.

I give this book 5 stars of out 5. It truly is an awe-inspiring story, that is one my top favorite books.

Nevil Shute wrote many novels, this was the only that wasn't science fiction based. I also liked the author's note at the end.

Happy Thanksgiving!!