Eve and the Choice Made in Eden by Beverly Campbell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Excellent book about Eve and her insightful choice which benefited us all. There are some good quotes by modern prophets which shed light on what happened in the Garden of Eden, and also on the role of women. It would be very helpful for both women and men to have a better understanding of the role, value, strengths and gifts of women.

View all my reviews

For the Strength of Youth by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I've always loved and been inspired by this booklet, and I loved reading the newly updated version. If there ever was a handbook that if followed would bring happiness and success, this is it. And it's not just for youth!

View all my reviews

The Miracle of Freedom: 7 Tipping Points That Saved the World by Chris Stewart
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is by the same authors as "Seven Miracles that Saved America," and I knew what I was in for. I don't really like their writing style, but I appreciated getting the content. The seven events that are covered range from 1876 BC to 1940 and the Battle of Britain. It was quite interesting, and it inspired a desire to read more history, both ancient and modern. It reaffirmed my feelings of gratitude for being born in this modern time, in the United States. Of all the people who have ever lived, so few have enjoyed the blessings of freedom that we have. We owe our gratitude to those who sacrificed to make this kind of a life possible for us, and we ought to do whatever is necessary to preserve it for future generations. There is also no way to deny the hand of God in many situations throughout history.

View all my reviews

Adam Bede by George Eliot
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Four stars is slightly generous, but it's much better than three! For me this book falls somewhere between the writing of Thomas Hardy and Jane Austen. Although Thomas Hardy is a great writer, his works have a bit much of the depressingly tragic for my taste. Jane Austen's books are much lighter, and although the characters face trials and challenges, you are left with an uplifting story overall. George Eliot seems to fall somewhere in the middle. She is a talented writer and I enjoyed the book once I got established in the story.

The ending seemed rushed, which surprised me, because there were times when I wanted to rush the author a bit to find out how the story was going to unfold. But at the end, even though I liked the circumstances of how it ended, I wished that she had filled out the details like she had in the rest of the book.

This was not a quick read, but I enjoyed it very much.

View all my reviews