The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey

By Susan Wojciechowski

The widow McDowell and her seven-year-old son Thomas ask the gruff Jonathan Tommey, the best wood-carver in the valley, to carve the figures for a Christmas nativity.

This is one of those choice little stories about how when someone cares and keeps caring, it can change a life. It's a sweet story about healing and finding joy and peace.

Forest Born

By Shannon Hale

Growing up in the Forest, Rin always turned to the trees when she needed peace or reassurance, even direction, until the day they seem to reject her. Rin is sure something is wrong with her, something that is keeping her from feeling at home in the Forest, keeping her from trusting herself with anyone at all.
When her brother Razo returns to the city after a visit home, Rin accompanies him to the palace in hopes of finding a new sense of herself. But a mysterious threat haunts Bayern, and Rin joins the magical girls she thinks of as the Fire Sisters- Isi, Enna, and Dasha- as they venture into the woods toward the kingdom of Kel…where someone wants them all dead.

This is the fourth book in the Books of Bayern series by Shannon Hale (who rocks by the way). I was rather surprised at this latest installment, because I didn't really like "Enna Burning" or "River Secrets" nearly as much as "The Goose Girl". But this book was right down my alley and was reminiscent of "The Goose Girl". It wasn't quite as good, but if you liked Goose Girl, you will definitely like "Forest Born". It clicked with me because Rin has a hard time trusting herself and she is pretty hard on herself. It was easy to relate to her because I feel much the same. I really think lots of people will relate with the heroine of this book; it's quite the journey of finding yourself and learning to trust in yourself and believe you're worth the trouble. :)

Imprints

By Rachel Ann Nunes

A young woman is missing. In desperation, her parents turn to Autumn Rain for help. Autumn reads imprints-emotions mysteriously left behind on certain treasured objects. But will this ability enrich her life or destroy it?
Autumn isn’t sure- her life has become far from normal- but for people whose loved ones are missing, her talent might mean the difference between life and death. Even the infuriating Detective Martin has asked for Autumn’s help, though at times she feels more like a suspect than a consultant. Too often Autumn finds herself retreating to her antiques shop and the company of her best friend, Jake Ryan, to avoid notice.
But soon more than one woman is missing, and Autumn teams up with private eye Ethan McConnel to investigate their disappearance. Ethan’s attraction to her is a pleasant change from Jake’s frustrating offers of friendship, but once Autumn takes that first step, she sets in motion a series of events that risk not only her own life but the lives of those she cares most about.

This is the first mystery-like book I've read in a while. It was pretty good, a little strange because the main character was the child of a hippie-which was weird for me to read. She was always talking herbs and natural stuff, and didn't wear shoes. It was a little strange. The book seemed more like a romance that happened to have a mystery embeded into it. People who enjoy the girl looking for a guy will like this book. It's centered around the disappearance of two women who are both connected with a cult-like group that live togther at a place called Harmony Farms. Autumn goes undercover at the cajoling of attractive Ethan in hopes that she can both help and maybe start up a new romance in her life. I wasn't surprised at the ending, though there were a few surprises along the way. It was well-written, but not the best book I've read.

The Mansion

By Henry van Dyke

John Weightman is an impeccable businessman. He never makes a move without consulting how it will profit him. One day John has a vision of heaven and takes the journey to see his heavenly mansion that he has built by the way he lived on earth. What he sees both shocks and motivates a pivotal change in his life. A Christmas story that is an instant classic.


I read this book back when I was probably 14 or so, but when I watched the first presidency Christmas Devotional and heard President Monson mention it, I decided to pick it up again. It is a short story that has a great moral about laying up treasures in heaven, and not coveting treasures on earth “where moth and dust doth corrupt”. Really good.

Where the Sidewalk Ends

By Shel Silverstein

Collected poems for children ranging from the silly to the serious.

If you’ve never read Shel Silverstein, you need to go to the library and pick up one of his many poetry books. He also wrote “The Giving Tree”, a sweet book that is well known. His poems carry a fun theme and kids love them. This is the first of his books of poems.

Change Your Questions Change Your Life

By Wendy W. Nelson

As a young boy, Joseph Smith asked a question that not only changed his life forever but also changed the world. Truly, questions are powerful agents of change. Do you want better relationships? Ask better questions. Do you want a great life? Learn to ask great questions. The questions we ask ourselves and others can significantly influence the kind of lives we create. They can motivate or they can demoralize. They can increase our ability to solve problems or they can make situations worse. Sharing information based on more than 25 years of clinical research and practice, Dr. Wendy Watson Nelson helps readers look at the questions in their lives and the influence of those questions on their relationships, their challenges, and their beliefs. In her first book since marrying Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve in 2006, she discusses how our questions influence our attempts at problem solving and shares seven questions that can change our lives. Full-color graphics and illustrations throughout help readers visualize these important concepts.


This book is amazing. It is truly different from the typical doctrine-like books you find. Wendy Nelson leads you on an amazing journey, asking questions and making you think in ways you never have before. More importantly, she helps you realize how to ask the questions that you need to ask right now. With pictures to illustrate incredible lessons, and read-and-answer sections, this book is a great gift and learning tool. I keep learning every time I read it. Excellent book.

Matched

By Ally Condie

In the Society Officials decide. Who you love, where you work, when you die. Cassia has always trusted their choices. It’s hardly any price to pay for a long life, the perfect job, the ideal mate. So when her best friend appears on the Matching screen, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is the one…until she sees another face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black. Now Cassia is faced with impossible choices: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she’s known and a path no one else has ever dared follow- between perfection and passion.

I was really looking forward to this book, although a little worried that it wouldn't be well-written and I'd puke from over-done teenage romance and angst. I was molified, however, to find that this book was centered around love, but not gushy teen love. It's a lot about fighting for the right to make choices, and to live your own life. I think I can pinpoint my decision of liking this book to how the author pulled Thomas Dylan's poem, "Do not Go Gentle" into the main plot. I love that poem, so I was won over. :) The story is intriguing, and reminiscent of the triangle in The Hunger Games between Katniss, Peeta, and Gale. Except lots better because she actually decides who to be with before you're dying to slap her to make her choice. Sad day however, it is a continuing story, for which I was once again annoyed. Tis the trend nowadays. I recommend it for people who like books like The Hunger Games, Twilight (yes you) and The Maze Runner.