Book(s) of the Month--All the Stars in Heaven & Eyes Like Mine

I actually think I skipped June, so I wanted to highlight two great books I most recently read. The fun part is that I actually know both authors personally. When I first started writing and dreaming of getting published, I didn't realize some of the really cool benefits of becoming a writer--you become friends with other writers.

I've read all of Michele's books, she has a few that are not published yet, and I've loved her writing for a long time. When she was submitting Counting Stars to national publishers, we (our critique group) told her to try and take it LDS. She did and Counting Stars came out in 2007. It was a fantastic debut. This second novel is a spin-off novel for the character Jay Kendrich. Michele does a ton of research on her novels--no, they aren't historicals, but you can bet that her dates, locations, and descriptions are accurate!

All the Stars in Heaven by Michele Paige Holmes:

My Review:
Whitney Award Winning author Michele Paige Holmes' newest novel All the Stars in Heaven is a fantastic read. As a companion novel to Counting Stars, this new book tells the story of Jay as he turns his life around and goes to Harvard law school. There he meets a talented musician, Sarah, the trouble is that her father and her cousin will do anything to keep a man out of her life. Literally. In this book, romance blends with a fast-paced suspense plot. I also loved the details surrounding the campus and life in this historic town. You will love the characters--the perfect summer read!

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I met Julie Wright a few years ago through LDStorymakers. I think it was at one of the writers conferences. Little did I know that she'd become such a good friend. Sometimes you think you are busy, and your life is full, and you have more than enough friends to keep up with . . . then you meet someone like Julie. I read her book My Not-So-Fairy-Tale Life and was blown away. It dealt with the delicate issue of teenaged pregnancy and adoption. So I picked up a couple of her earlier books and read them. When I told her this, she was mortified. She was embarrassed that the first book she wrote was published with no editing. But really, she still had the talent, even back then.

Here's her newest book. Love the cover:
Eyes Like Mine by Julie Wright

My review:

A book that makes you think. A book that makes you grateful. A book that strengthens your faith.

Through a time-travel phenomenon, Constance Brown is transported from the pioneer trail into the life of her great grandaughter, Liz King. What unfolds is an incredible story as both women must find their destiny, together.

The last several chapters were just brilliant. This is a great YA novel and the characters were true-to-life. If you've read Julie Wright's other novels (especially My Not-So-Fairy-Tale Life), you know she has the knack for getting inside the angst of the teenage mentality. She combines humor, heartache, romance, and great storytelling into a terrific read.

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And just an FYI, I also review books on LDSReaders, and I'm a member of GoodReads where I try to keep my reading list/reviews pretty current.