The Keeper of Lost Things by Ruth Hogan - listened on Libby for almost ten hours

This audiobook started out delightfully and I appreciated the wonderful descriptive similes for the first several hours. The characters were interesting and the setting of the beautiful home and gardens was comforting. The story had several interweaving episodes that made following a little difficult at first, but I was able to keep them straight eventually.

I was quite captivated at first...but it soon became evident that these characters were one-dimensional and flat. I persevered to the end, though, because some of the magic or ghosts were slightly intriguing and I wondered how the author would pull them all together. They all came together, all neatly tied up.

I enjoyed the British accent, the very clever turns of phrases...but overall, too fluffy. And the occasional F-bombs were so needless. Too bad. 

I guess fluff just doesn't get it for me anymore! In between listens, I was studying Doctrine & Covenants 124 for teaching Gospel Doctrine, and listening to meaty podcasts about that. The contrast between fluff and meat became startling!

Pope Joan by Donna Woolfolk Cross a Libby Audio loan - 19 hours

 This was a big, heavy commitment, but ultimately worth it. I would have never come across it, but it was chosen as a book club read by the new, unassociated with Relief Society book club in the Stonebridge Ward, which is now a group of friends, apparently. I think I missed the discussion because of my Indiana sojourn, but I'm still glad I read this story.

It's a controversial historical mystery, whether or not a female pope actually ascended to the papal seat. At the end of the audiobook, the author explores some of the historical arguments that have been made for and against her existence. It's tough to prove because this supposedly happened in the ninth century, so historical records are spotty.

I liked understanding better how every day life was lived during this time. It was certainly bleak for women! In fact, during the whole first part of the book, I almost quit multiple times because of the cruelty of the men in the story, particularly Joan's father. Still, I stuck with it, and I enjoyed learning some of the arguments that were probably discussed during this time; for example, can faith be based on reason? It was disheartening to read about the corruption of the religious leaders at that time. But it was also good to read that there were people with integrity as well, Joan first and foremost.

It spans her whole life, and includes a compelling love story between her and her adoptive guardian, Gerald. Over the years he is the one person she can trust and depend on. It was interesting to see how he would come back into the story. Overall, it was a good listen while I walked the streets of our neighborhood this fall. It also made me very grateful to live in our current era; they were often cold and starving. It's also interesting that there was very little religion or faith in the story... something I would have expected. It shows how far away from Christ and His teaching his church had become!

Quicksand and Cactus by Juanita Brooks

 Here is an example of a book that I would have never known about if I weren't in a book club. This one is for the Ridgeview Ward book Club that Shirla Snow heads up. It's a collection of autobiographical sketches by an amazing pioneer woman who grew up in Bunkerville, Nevada, and traveled around Mesquite, St. George, Provo, and even Columbia University over the course of her lifetime.

She was born in 1898 and fills in lots of details of her country life that I have been wondering about how people lived on this hot and dry frontier. It was heartening to read of her hard work, honest impulses, and quest for education. She's not particularly religious, and her references to the church and God are more "givens" and accepted rather than faith-filled. Her experiences of caring for animals, visiting her polygamous grandparents, and just living everyday life are fascinating. People really relied on each other for help and living accommodations...It was fun to read about.

I kept thinking about my father as I read her stories. He would have enjoyed this book. He always liked reading history, and this is one he would have enjoyed. He also would have loved her description of the horses in her life. Later she became a teacher and a writer--Her classroom stories and discipline and attitude are admirable, and I wonder if they were typical of her time. If not, she was way ahead of her time with her interest in her students, her interactive science displays, and having her students write English papers about the History they were studying. Just so impressive!

I'm looking forward to discussing this book with my friends in the Ridgeview Club... There are so many names and places that are still around this area. You can see a clear thread from her time to ours!

The Happiest Man on Earth by Eddie Jaku

 This was an amazing little book that we read in our Monterey Book Club. Denise, my neighbor, was kind enough to lend me her copy after she finished it, and then I lent it to Robin Walker in the Stonebridge Ward. She likes World War 2 stories, so I was happy I had taken it to her.

Eddie has an amazing story of being a youngster growing up during the Nazi era, and how his family lived in fear of being arrested. The story is inspiring because, despite being imprisoned multiple times, Eddie continued to believe in the power of friendship and the goodness of family connections. He suffered mightily in Ausschwitz, and watched many atrocities. It was hard to read about all of the hardships he endured, but he did it with such conviction that all would be well, that it was not depressing.

As he looked back on his life, he was able to see how his father's insistence on him getting an engineering education saved his life many times. There were many times I could see the hand of the Lord guiding him and protecting him, and providing the friend he needed at critical times. It was really fascinating to watch his development from proud German to humble but nonbelieving Jew. It's a pretty strong indictment against the Germans who supported and participated in the Halocaust...

Tell Me Everything by Elizabeth Strout

 I got this book out of the library to read for the Monterey Book Club, but had to have Len return it for me when I suddenly flew to Indiana to help Sierra after her accident. I was about a quarter of the way into it, and just thought I could let it go. But it was a good story, although kind of slow and methodical, I was enjoying it. Lo and behold, when I was ready to come home from Sierra's, it became available on Libby! So I was able to listen to it during my long trip home to St. George. 

Indiana and Sierra's accident were all-consuming and I had no time for reading and little time for reflection. It was such a nice escape to know I had the perfect "read" for the LONG trip home through all four time zones... Indiana is Eastern, I stopped in Chicago, which is Central, then to LAX, which is Pacific, and finally landed in St. George which is on Mountain time. Whew! And it is a slow enough story and a gentle story, so when I was sleepy, I easily turned it off for a snooze. When I got home to peaceful St. George, it was fun to finish it off as I walked my wonderful routes around here.

The beautiful relationships in this story were very interesting. And I honestly didn't know which ones were going to survive, and which ones would dissolve. Ultimately, though, the characters chose the high road and made morally sound choices. I wondered, though, if the two main characters, Bob and Lucy, wouldn't choose love... I could have made a case for that, since their relationship was so rewarding to each of them. However, the fallout would have been terrible. And it's a mature author who can lead us to that conclusion...The author thoughtfully explored "ghost relationships" within a marriage, which was interesting to think about. I really enjoyed the stories of the unrecorded lives and the musings about the purpose of life. They were good people struggling with moral choices and it was interesting and relatable to have a window into their thinking. 

Behold the Man by Gerald Lund (Volume 3 of the Kingdom and the Crown series)

 I was hoping this ending volume would be better, but it's probably my least favorite. The ending days of Christ's life are kind of muddled. It's not clear exactly who's going where and what's going on...it's very confusing about the trials, the beatings, etc.,

The best parts of these books are Lund's footnotes where he annotates his sources in the New Testament. But since the Gospels don't agree or often don't follow a time line, he makes a good guess about putting events in order. I liked that he tried to stay true to the scriptures and alerted his readers to where he took license for the sake of the plot. 

Volume 2 was better and had some intrigue. This volume took me the longest to get through...it really dragged. And did nothing to enhance my reverence for Christ. Describing his suffering was hard to read...

Still, I'm glad I finished the series. And now, with Sierra's terrible accident, I probably won't be here for book club to discuss it! Maybe it's better that way, since I don't have a lot of positive to say!

One Two Three by Laurie Frankel; 15 hours on Libby Audio book

 I found this title as one recommended by the librarians on Libby when I was hunting for something substantial for my long solo drive north for Yolanda's 75th birthday party. This was a happy choice--it really held my interest and had an amazing plot and great characters; wit and charm, harsh realities, and overall enjoyable though heavy at times...

There are many themes in this story. Holding on to pain is the one that stood out for me; how the chemical plant's devastation caused Nora, the mother in this book, could not and would not move on. And yet, in the end, it served her. I kept likening her obsession to lack of forgiveness, but it was also a crusade to right a wrong. It's a great reminder that black and white issues have many nuances and perspectives. This author did an amazing job of illuminating the many points of view and many human mistakes that make up a complicated issue.

I loved, loved, loved the characters. All of them. The triplets, especially. Each one. And the humor and puns and plot twists were just brilliant. Yes, there is some non-gratuitous swearing, but not too much. There's swearing under duress and it feels justified. 

The way parental love and acceptance are described is beautiful. And the way it's illustrated through Nora and especially her daughter Mirabel is heartening. I especially loved how Mirabel recognized that this was a gift that was more valuable than River's riches. River is the young man in the story who is also very real and very 16. 

Mirabel's thoughts on her disability are enlightening. The closeness of the sisters is beautiful. The autistic social interactions of Monday are often hilarious, and often poignant, because they invite others to be as clear and honest as she is. 

Another theme that resonated with me was the dissatisfaction with life in Borne...nothing to do, a no-where, no-good hovel, in the eyes of the 16 year olds. I loved the Pooh, and the teachers in the run down school--all real, all human, all flawed, all sometimes funny, and all drawn with empathy. 

The dilemma of the mayor...the political problems, the library turned home turned library, Monday's obsession with yellow and how that pays off in the equipment at the end, the word play on dam vs. damn...so very clever and brilliant!

Sometimes, however, the greed of the chemical plant players was heavy and depressing. I don't like to think that such greed and lack of oversight is reality. I hope it isn't. At any rate, it gave me a lot to think about. I loved this audio book and loved how the three sisters told the story. It was easy to keep them straight because of the different voices. Mirabel's machine voice was fascinating because it showed how limited her outward was from the rich inward life...yet her family knew all of her. Very sweet.

And the way Mab's love for River grew and blossomed was very sweetly told. That was another unfolding that was very relatable. Yes, it's a LONG audio book. But very worth it!!!