Hadassah: One Night With the King by Tommy Tenney with Mark Andrew Olsen

Have you seen the movie One Night With the King? You may or may not know that the movie was actually based on this book: Hadassah: One Night With the King by Tommy Tenney with Mark Andrew Olsen. After watching and enjoying the movie, I put the book on my reading list and finally got to it a little while ago.

I must say, it is definitely worth the read even though it felt a bit long and sometimes a little too wordy. This was a title that I listened to, rather than read in print (People who know me often just shake their heads in confusion: I normally have at least three physical books by my bed, a few more in my office, that I’m actively reading, an electronic book stored on my mp3 player, another ebook open on my computer, a book on tape in the stereo and a book on cd in the car all being read at any given time.) so my husband was sometimes obliged to listen in as we went about our day. While I thoroughly expected this to be one of those titles he “tolerated” listening to because he knows how much I enjoy them, I can’t tell you the number of times he walked in after being gone a while and asked “What did I miss?” No. A guy might never pick up this title and fully appreciate it, but it was written well enough that it can certainly catch their attention.

Hadassah: One Night With the King goes into so much more detail than the movie ever could, and answered some questions for me that I’d always wondered about when reading the biblical account. Though I do not pretend to be a biblical scholar of any sort and can not vouch for the validity of the way this story is played out it was interesting to see things from a different angle. For instance: I’ve always wondered that a king could suddenly forget when someone uncovered a plot to assassinate him, no matter how busy he was. One Night With the King gave me a plausible scenario for that and a few other things that had always mystified me.

I have to say though, that the thing I appreciated most about Hadassah’s story as told by these authors was the very nice advice it gave to women in general on what makes a good marriage and what true intimacy is about. Yes, a good portion of the original story basically focuses on a woman’s ability to please and influence a man, biblical or not in origins, and knowing the little I do about what that could tend to mean I was a little nervous about picking up this book. Rest assured, this is a general Christian title, not a mainstream secular title and all content is treated with great delicacy and respect. I found it surprisingly insightful, gratefully realistic and truthful in nature. I loved hearing Esther’s advice on intimacy and love.

I also appreciated watching Esther’s own spiritual growth through the pages of this book. It turns out, at least as it is portrayed by Tenney and Olsen, that Esther wasn’t all that different from you and I. She was honestly just a girl with hopes and dreams and a small seed of faith that she nurtured when she needed it most. Because she did so, God was there for her personally and in miraculous ways that would affect many.

If you have teenage daughters interested in Esther’s story, there is also a shorter version of this book for middle-grade and YA readers entitled Hadassah: The Girl Who Became Queen Esther that might be worth checking out.

There is also a sequel The Hadassah Covenant that came out after the movie did so well. I haven't read it yet, but probably will add it to my perpetual "too read" lilst because it is still the kind of story that fascinates me. The Hadassah Covenant brings back the original Hadassah and her modern descendent who was reading the story from One Night With the King to solve a "what happens next" type of mystery surrounding the rest of Esther's life.

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The Journal of Curious Letters by James Dashner

I’ve known James Dashner for a few years, and have read his first books The Jimmy Fincher series, but I have to say his weird imagination and twisted sense of humor really shine through in The Journal of Curious Letters, the first book in The 13^th Reality Series.

The Journal of Curious Letters is certainly one convoluted and interesting read. Here’s one of those cool new book trailers to help you get a tiny peek into Tick’s seriously twisted reality. (Yes. I mean that literally.)

Yep. That’s pretty much it. James Dashner is just one of those guys who never grew up in all the right ways. He has a way of getting inside a little boy’s mind and figuring out what exactly will appeal to them in a big way. I’m happy to see him having some great success with that part of himself. He certainly deserves it, but on the other hand I think the greatest respect and honor goes to his wife for having to live with him!

The cover looks like The Journal of Curious Letters would be appropriate for the younger middle-grade reader, but I don’t think it’s one that age will want to read independently. The Journal of Curious Letters does make a great case for read aloud bedtime material for that age however, and will easily attract the older middle-grade reader. It’s full of puzzles and riddles and very weird creatures that will capture your heart and keep you moving right along with plenty of action. But, because it seriously lacks in “real” world normalcy most of the time, I found myself getting a little overwhelmed in some places. Some of the riddles made my head spin, it may just be that I have far too few brain cells left in my old age, or it may actually put off a few “lazier” child readers as well. Don’t worry, though Tick will eventually walk you through the answers.

I also like the fact that the parents (and other grown-ups) are allowed to be involved and helpful. No, they don’t solve things for the children, but they are there and they are willing to believe and support their children. I find this valuable. Most children’s books go out of their way to get rid of parents, prove them idiots, or useless, and not to be trusted. I can understand all of this. Children want to be able to fix things themselves and figure out how to be independent and in control, but it’s also refreshing to find a book that reminds children parents usually do know a few things and really do love their children.

If you have a child who is fond of books like Leven Thumps, A Wrinkle in Time, or Runemarks, The Journal of Curious Letters would most likely appeal to them. You can stop by James Dashner’s website for The 13^th Reality to read the first two chapters of this book. I suggest stopping by just for the fun of it as well. It’s a pretty neat web site. Have your child play the riddle game. If they like it, it’s a pretty good indication they’ll enjoy the book, too.

Book two: The Hunt for Dark Infinity will be out next spring. James has another unrelated title, The Maze Runner, which was recently accepted by Delacorte Press (an imprint of Random House Children's Books) for a fall 2009 release.

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The Happy Child: Changing the Heart of Education by Steven Harrison

I recently read a book that truly intrigued me. Now, a disclaimer:

Discussing this title can raise the fur on quite a few backs as it is certainly not the norm. Nor, does it represent my entire way of thinking. I mention this book because I agree with its premise, not its every point. I do not have to be a devout follower of someone else’s belief system to appreciate what I can learn from them.

So, here we go. The book for discussion today is The Happy Child: Changing the Heart of Education by Steven Harrison.

The author definitely has a platform and agenda, but he is straight forward about it. Many would say Steven Harrison is fighting a losing battle. Maybe so, but he made me think about a lot of assumptions I make in a much clearer light. For me, the book seemed to follow a principle that our prophets have been teaching us for years: the catalyst for any change, good or bad, is formed within the family. That makes many things The Happy Child suggests within my power and worthy of my consideration. I simply used the book as a check-up system to see if I’m doing everything I can to give my children a happy childhood.

Essentially, our children are growing up in a world that continually says, “hurry and grow-up” and I don’t think that is what Heavenly Father’s plan of happiness is really about. Every child has a unique and beautiful spirit as well as a unique and beautiful purpose in life, and Satan seems to work very hard to make sure that these same sweet children never figure out what that is because they can’t be the same as Johnny or Sue or even mom or dad.

How many times in the last general conference did you hear a speaker tell us to “become as a little child?” Were they talking about the child who can flawlessly put on her make-up by age eleven, or the child who has reached the highest level in three of the most popular video games, or the child that feels like a failure because he doesn’t seem to fit the mold that every other child does? No. They were talking about children who have joy, peace, an awareness of the Savior and who they are as children of God.

Here are a few of Steven Harrison’s points that caught my eye the most. If they ring true for you, pick up The Happy Child and spend a few moments finding its messages to you and your family stewardship.

1. We often try to teach kids discipline by forcing them to do something that they don’t want to do, rather than by asking them to see the consequences of their actions and to take responsibility for their words, deeds, and the reaction of those around them. Discipline is not just being able to do the thing that we don’t want to do, but also being able to do the hard things that we do want to do.

2. Fear is often the measurement of how we are doing relative to each other, not as friends, colleagues, or members of community, but as competitors.

3. The child is built to be what the child is. This seems like an unnecessary and self-defining statement. But, the common view is that children are to be molded, trained, educated. In this view children do not have an inherent life force that deserves the respect we accord to the adult population . . . For those who see the child as born failed and broken, in need of repair and redirection, education will mean a revamping of the child that is, into the child that should be. For the sophisticated parent, the child, while not broken, needs the enlightenment of implanted values, specifically the parental values.

4. Is it any surprise that children are blowing up, breaking down, tuning out, withdrawing, measuring their worth by their test scores and designer jeans, and communicating through pagers, cell phones, and instant messaging in order to hook up for drive-by relationships, drive-through food, and driven lives? This is . . . what they learned . . . to be faster and better, or more precisely, that they were not fast enough or good enough. Some learned to run harder, some learned to give up. A very few children, endowed with an unusual measure of common sense and innate trust in themselves, learned that they are just fine, as they are, whatever they are.

5. This is why you shouldn’t trust anyone over three. Young children are simply curious. Learning something doesn’t fulfill their interest. This thirst cannot be quenched by answers. They want to know more, regardless of what they have found out so far. Their question in life is their life. We can’t answer their question. We can, however, join them in their question. That would require us to abandon all our answers. We might lose track of time. We might not get anything done today. There may be no point to the question at all. The whole thing may be totally pointless, like a game without a score, without a conclusion, without a . . . winner.

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Three Angels for Christmas by Lori Nawyn

I was recently asked to review a small Christmas gift booklet by author Lori Nawyn and was pleased to do so. I enjoy meeting new people and reading new and interesting books almost as much as I enjoy a good dessert.

Lori is a member of the Books, Books and More Books group on yourLDSNeighborhood- hi Lori! So be sure to drop by her page or her blog and let her know what you think of her booklet if you get a chance to read it.

Lori created this booklet in response to the losses she has experienced in past years that have happened to correspond with the Christmas season. That is always an especially hard time to lose someone you love. That is why Lori felt it was important for her to create her own “angels” that would help her remember and honor those loved ones for what they inspired her with during their lives.

Three Angels for Christmas is a simple memoir that reflects on the lessons she learned from her grandparents. For me, the book was simply that- a personal expression best appreciated by close family and friends who can share in Lori’s love for her family. While I enjoyed her trip down memory lane and the lessons learned, the text seemed to just stop short. I had to re-read the last pages a couple of times, still looking for more insight on how Lori resolved her own issues and how the actual angels were created in her thoughts and heart. I wish there would have been more of that. I recognize that she was able to put things in perspective, but for me personally I never really got how she create those angels. I can derive the conclusions on my own, but I would have like Lori to spend a little more time putting the memories and lessons together with the angels.

My thoughts aside, Three Angels for Christmas does offer a special gift to those that you might know who have endured similar experiences with loss that becomes tangled up with what is supposed to be a heightened awareness of the Savior and the joy He would have each of us experience. That’s a tall order when your heart is grieving. You may know in your mind that the Savior’s love is real and that there are such things as faith, hope, and charity, in the world, but you often have a harder time finding them. So, prayerfully consider if Lori’s thoughtful little booklet might help them realize they are not alone in their sorrow, that you love them, and that there are ways to cope that can bring them lasting joy.

There just might be things you personally need to hear in her short booklet as well. The messages I most needed came on the final page:

“Choosing to fully embrace Christmas, despite our various trials, in a way that celebrates life and love, faith, hope, and charity, will yield the true joy the holiday was intended to bring.”

Nice thought Lori. Thanks for that.

She also encourages us each to spend time figuring out what each of these three angels mean to us personally. It might make a difference on our path this Christmas or to the paths of our family in future generations.

Three Angels for Christmas was published by O. Halverson & Co. Publishing, and retails for $4.95 with its own gift envelope. There are also three Christmas cards available depicting each of the three angels.

Lori Nawyn is co-author of three inspirational short story collections and one cookbook. In addition, her award winning fiction and non-fiction works have appeared in regional and national publications. She works as an artist and graphic designer. Lori and her husband, Brian, a firefighter, enjoy their four children, two grandchildren, and three dogs.

You can visit with her at the Neighborhood, or on her blog. I’m sure she’d appreciate hearing from you.

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Ghost of a Chance by Kerry Blair

I have to admit I’m a Halloween person. No, I’m not into the whole blood and guts thing for the sake of blood and guts. That stuff does nothing for me. But I do enjoy a holiday that focuses on fun and chocolate. Oh, and I do have a soft side for bats, spiders, witches, ghosts, bones and such. So, in honor of the coming holiday of Halloween (and to give you a break from Christmas titles), I went looking for LDS books that centered on this holiday.

I found a few that had been put out by LDS publishers over the years, but only one that actually had any LDS content or theme to go with it. That title was an old favorite of mine, Ghost of a Chance by my friend Kerry Blair. If you guys know of any others, let me know. I’d love to add them to my collection!

This is the second book in her Nightshade mystery series, and I have to say that I prefer it to the first. Mummy's the Word, though an interesting read, was a little hard for me to follow at times. Ghost of a Chance held my attention much better and was fun to boot.

In Ghost of a Chance, the main character is trying to solve a mystery that takes place around Halloween and the Day of the Dead. I love the way she weaves the mystery in with the holidays and the gospel. It’s not preachy. There aren’t any real in-depth gospel messages in there anywhere; it’s just a fun and quirky LDS girl living a slightly weird life.

One of my favorite parts of the entire story actually does hold a gospel message. The heroine has herself caught in a pretty sticky situation and she makes a comment about calling for help with all her might. Is she screaming herself hoarse? No. She’s all ready figured out that won’t do her any good. What she’s doing is praying- her Heavenly Father is the only person she can think of with enough power to help. I like that about Samantha Shade. She’s my kind of girl because of this and many other little things that make her real and lovable to me.

There is also a very quirky character present in the books, Chaiya, that is actually the ultimate bubble head. I once talked with Kerry about this book and asked her about this character. She seemed a bit exaggerated to me. What did Kerry say? Well, as it turns out Kerry had done something many of us as authors do: we take a piece of our own lives and put it into our story. This bubble head was actually a teenage girl that Kerry knows and adores. That makes me love her, too, but it may not be the same experience for you. I’ll bet you’ll find yourself rolling your eyes at the girl more than once, and that’s okay, too.

I’m also totally in love with Arjay-- you can read up on his interesting condition, xeroderma pigmetosum, here.

Here’s another fun fact: Miss Kerry does actually own a real ghost hunting kit! One day I vow to go on a really-for-real-true-life ghost hunt with Kerry. I think it would be a blast. Hey, with her sweetness and our combined writer’s imaginations, we could probably give those ghost hunting TV shows a run for their money. Ah, I think I’ve found my ticket to fame if this writer thing doesn’t pan out. Ha!

So there you have it, a great title to celebrate Halloween and the Day of the Dead with. Oh, and be sure to stop by Kerry’s website. Click here for more fun Nightshade stuff and recipes for Day of the Dead treats, yum. Click here and download a free copy of another of her titles Digging Up the Past. Click on Books and you can read the first chapter of all of her titles. Sweet!

Happy reading!

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Santa’s Secret: A Christmas Novel by Christy Hardman with Phil Porter

You know, Christmas is such a special time of year it’s no wonder that so many inspired things happen in relationship to that season. I’m not fond of all the commercialism, or of the hustle and bustle and “have-to’s” so many people make up for themselves. I am fond of the music, art and literature that come out of this season, though. To me, those are the places you can really find the spirit and joy of Christmas.

Santa’s Secret: A Christmas Novel by Christy Hardman with Phil Porter is one of those places. This book was a special treat to read because it puts Christmas into a unique perspective. When it comes to Christmas, there are just about as many different opinions about what the holiday should and shouldn’t mean as there are people who celebrate it. I’ve known people who embrace the concept of Santa with gusto. They spend half the year preparing for Christmas and the other half of the year recovering from it. I’ve known people who refuse to allow Santa into their Christmas at all, because they feel he has nothing to do with the true meaning of Christmas. I have known people who use Christmas exclusively for Santa and celebrate the birth of the Savior on entirely different days of the year. I’ve known people who seem able to keep everything in perspective and others who ignore it all because they feel no matter how it’s done the whole holiday is too hyped up to carry the spirit of Christ.

That’s why I love Santa’s Secret. It takes the two things many people try to find a happy balance in and places a very Christ-like perspective on them. Santa’s Secret tells the story of one man who began playing Santa Claus as a way to make ends meet at Christmas, but in the process discovers the “magic” of the season as well as his own testimony of the Savior and the spirit of love that should be associated with His name. It’s a beautiful thing to watch Phil Porter don a Santa suit and at the same time put on the mantle of disciple of Christ. He is a force for good that many of us forget about in all the hustle and bustle of everyday life. I loved every minute of my time with Santa’s Secret. There were many sweet tears shed and closeness to the Spirit that can sometimes be overlooked when sources like this book aren’t available to remind me how much I’m loved and blessed by my Heavenly Father.

Here’s a neat hint: I love the fact that Santa’s Secret is divided into 11 chapters. That set up makes it very convenient for reading each night for the last 12 nights before Christmas. The first 11 days you get a chance to see how Santa should fit into Christmas, on day 12 you read the nativity story and feel the power of how it really does fit, in terms of truth and light, not commercialism. I’ve already earmarked this title as a gift for several people I know. Read it early on in the season and I’m sure you’ll find yourself saying, “Yes, this is exactly what so-and-so needs right now.”

There are also convenient discussion questions in the back of the book that are not overly complicated or expect you to philosophy on some message you didn’t even know the story had. (Yes, I was traumatized by a few AP English classes in my day.) These can also be used to help your family (or a family you know) focus on what they can take away from the story. I appreciate it when books I want to make an impression on my children make that “talking” process easier for me.

I firmly place Santa’s Secret on my recommended reading for each of you, my readers, this Christmas. It will make a difference in how you see the season. I promise. Hey, if it doesn’t you’re always welcome to bomb my house with chocolate or something.

Okay. Here’s a related, but unrelated, side note: I’m really getting tired of all this crying business. Why do you guys have to write such awesome stories that always make me cry? Somebody please send me a good book to review that does nothing more than make me laugh my guts out, I’m begging you!

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Housekeeping Help for the Domestically Challenged

During the month of October I am participating in a Book in a Month challenge, which basically means there are a bunch of us completely deranged authors out there all trying to write an entire book in one month. I do these challenges every once in a while for the extra motivation, and it’s a great excuse to get out of icky stuff you don’t like to do. For me, that’s housework.

So, knowing I was going to do this challenge and knowing how much I hate to clean in the first place, I checked out three housecleaning books from the library.

The first book, One Minute Cleaner: Plain and Simple by Donna Smallin sounded intriguing and all, but it seemed they were really saying, “It takes one minute to read each of our tips, then 6 hours to implement that one tip”. Ok, to be fair there were things in there that only took a minute to do, and I tend to like books that tell me how to make my own cleaning agents, so it got plusses there. But, here’s the thing. I read through the book and 50% of the time I found myself thinking, “There’s no way I’d ever do that in a million years.” I mean, this book seemed to be put together just for the totally-housekeeping-fixated-happy-homemaker, which is so not me. Plus, it left way too much up to my feeble mind, like “make a plan for keeping your house clean.” Um, yeah, that’s kind of why I picked up the book, you know?

So, that title was pretty much out the window for me. It might work for a lot of other people but as you’ve probably figured out by now, I’m not exactly normal.

Next was Speed Cleaning 101 by Laura Dellutri. Again, it sounded good in theory. It had a few more “make it yourself” cleaning recipes and a few things I hadn’t ever though of to make some cleaning jobs easier. But, despite the title one of the very first chapters included the phrase: “Pick a one to two hour time slot for cleaning.” Ha! Sooo, not going to happen. I don’t think I could clean for two hours straight if the prophet were coming to visit.

(If you’re now thinking you will never come visit me in my home because you might not make it back out alive- you’re probably right, and I’m cool with that. There are much better things to do with my time. I’ll meet you at the library instead.)

I also had trouble following the set up of the book- if I looked closely enough, I could find 5-10 minute “Bare minimum” cleaning techniques for different rooms in the house, but they were smashed right up against the “this will take you 30-40 minutes” things. It made me very sad and frustrated that obviously I was more domestically challenged than I had originally thought. I mean this was the 2^nd book that I threw up my hands at.

Then, I cracked open the third book and ta-da! There was my salvation, found in the pages of Dad’s Own Housekeeping Book by David Bowers. Here, finally, was a plain, simple, straight forward, no nonsense approach to housekeeping. Apparently I’m a guy.

Want proof? Here are a few things off of his “Things We Do- or Don’t Do- That Drive Our Wives Nuts” list that I do on a regular basis.

• We put leftovers away in the pots we cooked them in.
• We are much more likely to load the dishwasher than to unload it and put the clean dishes away.
• We’re not big on wiping up the kitchen floor after making a cooking mess—in fact, we don’t even see it.
• We don’t notice greasy handprints on cabinets, walls, the refrigerator door, switch plates—or anywhere else. (Note from Alison: Ok, to give myself a little credit- I do notice when it gets really bad, but I’m still pretty good as shrugging it off again.)
• When we do the laundry, we rarely look under the bed or the coffee table to pick up balled-up socks or underwear.
• We forget to empty pockets before tossing clothes into the washing machine.
• We make the bed by pulling the duvet up over crumpled sheets.

Yep. That’s life in my house. It drove my husband nuts the first few years we were married. He’s gotten used to it now. ;)

Dad’s Own Housekeeping Book breaks things down for domestically impaired people like me. There are 5-minute “attack” cleaning methods for every room (except the kitchen- he still makes you take 30 minutes on it each day) that I can use to break up my writing day. I copied the 5 minute pages and put them on my kitchen counter, I just flip one over do it, done, and put it to the back of the stack. Even if I don’t get to anything else that day I know I did something and that’s all that counts for me.

Now you tell me. Where have you found your most useful “speed cleaning” techniques and routines?

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The Icing on the Cake by Elodia Strain

What can I say? The Icing on the Cake by Elodia Strain was one truly fun book! I loved Elodia’s personable style and I loved the premise of the novel. It’s bright, uplifting and teaches a beautiful message in a fun way.

Some people don’t care for books in which the main character “interacts” with the reader. I don’t love it or hate it: like all writing, it has to be done well. Elodia manages this writing style with ease. To me, it was like reading some of Meg Cabot’s cleaner stuff in the national adult market and like reading a Kerry Blair title in the LDS market. Elodia has a way of making the reader feel like they’re having a conversation with a quirky friend that they can totally relate to.

The Icing on the Cake held very few “stumbling points” for me. I only have two nit-picky complaints (aren’t my complaints always nit-picky?) One: I think the reader should have had to work harder to find out Annabelle’s middle name. ;) And two: You might not find it a problem, but I had a difficult time relating to Annabelle’s dependence on her parents. Yes, I can concede that many people do have close relationships with their parents. That is not a situation I’m familiar with so it was difficult for me to relate to Annabelle on this matter. When I left home, I left home to start my own life as an adult. I quickly learned that if I was going to be my own person, I could not go running back to my parents for everything I needed. Yes, there are things that I’ve counted on their support for in the past, and present, but it is not my first instinct to take my problems to them. Now, don’t get me wrong— I love my parents, but I’m also very comfortable with the fact that they live 2000 miles away from me. ;)

Look for The Icing on the Cake to give you a great chick-lit lift, with the sweetness of the gospel adding just a little more flavor. But be forewarned: I thought I’d finally found a book that would just make me giggle and occasionally laugh out loud but sadly, this was not the case. By the time I got close to the end, I had to shed a few tears whether I liked it or not, but they were definitely happy tears. The gospel message shared by The Icing on the Cake is touching and simple: it’s about seeing the good in people and trying to be good because of their example. I know I could personally benefit from taking a few more “pink notes” myself.

Oh, and one more complaint about The Icing on the Cake—I’m totally miffed at Elodia for teasing me with all those dropped hints and descriptions for delectable goodies and treats. Why? Well, because I’m a food person. The book made me totally hungry and she didn’t include a single recipe for any of the goodies she’d been dangling in front of my face! Totally rude!

So, to make up for Ms. Strain’s terrible insult to my taste buds, I’ve provided you, my dear reader, with a recipe I found for Portuguese sponge cake. I haven’t tried it yet, but soon will. (If you get to it first, tell me how it is.) Make one for yourself, then curl up with a piece, ok two, and enjoy a fun read: The Icing of the Cake. It will make your whole day.

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Heaven Scent by Rebecca Talley

Heaven Scent by Rebecca Talley is a very sweet story about a young girl’s journey toward forgiveness. It has elements of a conversion story but speaks of a specific portion of that conversion rather than an entire change of heart and seemingly miraculous resolution of everybody’s problems. I appreciated that about Heaven Scent’s message.

This tends to be a high emotion story, and I found myself feeling those emotions sometimes seemed a bit forced. Not all of us react in the same way to a set of words or events, and that presents a challenge for the author. Using just the right words to portray feeling and have it effect the reader in the manner you intend is, in my opinion, one of the most difficult skills to master. Even with the few stumbles in realism that I experienced, I think Rebecca Talley does very well for her first novel.

One example that was interesting to me was the fact that the climax of Heaven Scent came a little later than I expected. I had an idea of where the story was headed, but it wasn’t exactly found in the “middle” of the book. I suspect this happened because the author was being very careful with her set up; making sure the reader had a good grasp on the main character’s feelings and positions. It did end up working for me in the end. At first, I thought the main character was being a little over-dramatic, and wanted to kick Liza for her anger and whining. Then I remembered she was teenager and it became easier to take it in stride as the story progressed. But by the time things really started to get complicated in the story, I had come to empathize with Liza more than I was able to at the beginning. Like Liza, I eventually found myself ready to kick her dad, rather than her.

Within Heaven Scent, Liza goes through a series of changes in her life: some good, some heartbreaking, but in the process of these whirlwind changes that are out of her control, Liza still has choices. She still has to decide what her reactions will be to every challenge, and like many of us, what our heart and our mind tell us don’t always agree. Hurt and grief leave their mark on us, even when we think we’ve moved beyond something. For Liza, the changes she needs to make in order to let her pain and anger go are far from easy, many of us would do no better than she was. She built her barriers so tall and thick that it took divine intervention in order for her to find ways to tear them back down. I appreciate the fact that even at this point it was not easy for Liza. It was not an instantaneous, “Oh, well, I’d better shape up then” reaction, it was still a process of choices and growth.

Many of us will not have the same types of experiences that Liza did in order to help her overcome her difficulties, but I hope the true message the reader gets from her story is that no matter how it is accomplished there are those in heaven who are rooting for our success and doing all that is in their power to help you with your path, without taking away your agency. Heavenly Father does not expect overnight conversions and perfection from His children, he expects us to find truth and peace in our lives, and then work toward keeping them a little more each day. With that in mind Liza’s journey is very similar to each of ours. It’s worth a peek at Heaven Scent in order to just remind yourself that life is a journey we’re all trying to get through the best we can.

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