Upon the Mountains


Gale Sears - 2007
    As America is drawn into the bitter conflict, Nephi Erickson comes to believe enlisting with the Marines is not only his duty, but also his best chance at making some much-needed money. He feels he has failed in his promise to care for his wife, Alaina, and their small daughter, Katie. As he leaves their tranquil Salt Lake City hillside home for a barren battlefield where disease can be as deadly as the enemy, Nephi has no idea that Alaina is carrying their second child — a child he may never see. With her husband half a world away, Alaina derives some solace from the fact that her younger sister, Eleanor, lives nearby. Nineteen-year-old Eleanor — the only woman studying medicine at the University of Utah — is soon immersed in researching treatments for the influenza pandemic ravaging the world, a scourge that will soon touch her life all too closely. An unforgettable historical drama of innocence lost, of memorable

The Sunflower


Richard Paul Evans - 2005
    Christine is a shy, unadventurous woman whose fiancee broke off the engagement only a week before the wedding, and Paul is a former emergency room doctor whose glamorous lifestyle, stellar reputation, and beautiful fiancee are cruelly snatched from him one fateful, snowy Christmas Eve. Deep in the Amazon jungle, against a backdrop of poverty and heartbreak, they must confront their deepest fears and, together, learn to trust and love again.

Elisabeth: Passage of Promise


Tom Roulstone - 2004
    Unfortunately, in mid-nineteenth-century England, dissolving their less-than-sacred union seems all but impossible—even if her new husband is only after Elisabeth’s inheritance. But soon the strong-willed vicar’s daughter has a chance at a new life far away from her sterile existence in the shadow of Claverly Hall—a chance to be with people who believe as she does. A chance to go to America, to a place called Zion.But one’s future is not always easy to predict, and Elisabeth finds she must create her own journey—one that will lead her away from the center of the Church in Salt Lake City but closer to the gospel and the man who could forever be hers.

Trapped in East Germany


Carolyn Twede Frank - 2016
    She is not alone—in wartime Berlin, it seems that everyone has been swept up in the frightening transformation of their city. No more than a child, Karin is far too young to understand the Nazi presence or the drone of air-raid sirens or the absence of her beloved Pappa, a soldier in the German army. But when a bomb destroys their home, Karin is forced to grow up far too soon as her family joins the tens of thousands displaced in the raids on the city. Relying on their faith as Latter-day Saints, Karin and her family begin a journey that will prove the indomitable strength of the human spirit.What follows is the sweeping narrative of one young girl's journey through war and beyond—from her childlike observations of World War II in Germany to her changing view of the world as she grows up in a land divided by war. Now, driven by starvation and the perilous existence of refugees, Karin and her family must draw upon a deep reservoir of strength and faith to sustain them through the harrowing escape ahead . . .

Don't You Marry the Mormon Boys


Janet Kay Jensen - 2007
    There was only one problem: polygamy - a lifestyle that Louisa could not escape and Andy would not embrace. As medical students at the University of Utah, Andy and Louisa fall in love - but can a mainstream Mormon and a Fundamental polygamist overcome the cultural barriers between them? Both realize that their choices will not only affect their own lives, but will also have an impact on their family, friends, and even their communities. Fearing that the sacrifices required of them would be too great, they go their separate ways. Yet for Andy in Kentucky and Louisa in Utah, life does not go as they'd planned. While Andy is serving as a country doctor and trying to bury his pain, Louisa is coming to terms with the fact that all is not as perfect in her tight-knit community as she'd believed. As doctors, each will have to choose between keeping the peace in their communities or doing what they know is right.

Storm Gold


Lee Nelson - 1996
     One of the last adn largest Spanish settlements was located on what is now the Ute Indian Reservation at Rock Creek. According to Ute legends, the biggest slaughter of white men by Indians didn't occur at the Little Big Horn, but at Rock Creek, where in 1840 nearly one thousand Spaniards were slaughtered by Indians, ending once and for all the era of the Spanish gold seekers. This story is about that last great battle, told through the eyes of Utah's favorite writer of historical fiction, Lee Nelson.

Vanished


Lynn Gardner - 2004
    In Maggie McKenzie's case, the saying is not only true, but the starting point for a troubling--and deadly--mystery.Maggie has just begun her first job as a full-fledged newspaper reporter. It’s a dream come true. But soon the young journalist finds she is captivated by what should be old news – a girl who vanished years ago – who looks amazingly like her. Intrigued by what she has heard about the missing girl, Maggie takes advantage of her travels for another assignment to try to solve the mystery of Alyssa Lawson’s disappearance. While on her cross-country quest, Maggie meets psychologist Dr. Flynn Ford, who is interested in helping her solve the puzzle--and in getting to know Maggie better. But as the pair inches closer to the truth, witnessed begin turning dead. And it appears Maggie and Flynn could be next. Could the woman Maggie thinks might be her sister be trying to kill her?

The Ties That Bind


Kristen McKendry - 2009
    Now, as he approaches the birth of his first child, he feels deeply unsettled about his severed familial bonds. Before Daniel can feel ready to be a father himself, he knows he must unravel the painful mystery of his past and make peace with what he finds.This quest begins as Daniel discovers the story of his grandmother, a woman of great faith who wanted nothing more than to have her family sealed together eternally, but whose untimely death led to the scattering of her offspring. Daniel’s journey of understanding unfolds as he forms new connections with relatives he never knew he had and gains long-lost insight about the difficult circumstances that entangled his family tree. From a past riddled by abuse, abandonment, and alcoholism, Daniel comes to see himself and his future in a promising new light.Inspired by actual people and events, this novel poignantly imparts unforgettable lessons about love and loss, choice and accountability, and the everlasting ties that bind generations. I loved it! Not only is The Ties That Bind a tender story of a man in search of himself, but it includes a lot of good tips for how one might find the pieces to the puzzle of one’s own history.

Pillar of Light


Gerald N. Lund - 1994
    I can see it on your face."For a moment, time seemed suspended as Nathan probed the inward recesses of his soul. There was still the incredulousness, still the sense of hearing something that couldn't possibly be true. And yet he knew it was. He knew without the least shadow of doubt that everything Joseph was telling him was true. And so, finally, with a wonder of his own, he said, "Yes, Joseph, I believe you."Pillar of Light — the first volume in the series The Work and the Glory — begins the epic story of the Benjamin Steed family. In the 1820s they move from Vermont to Palmyra Township in upstate New York in search of better farmland. There they meet a young man named Joseph Smith and are thrown into the maelstrom of conflict and controversy that swirls around him. Did he really see the Father and the Son in a pillar of light? Has he truly been visited by angelic messengers? What is all this talk about gold plates and new scripture? In short, is he a prophet and seer or a monumental fraud? The answers each one gives to these questions — intensely personal, potentially divisive — will dramatically affect the lives of the Steeds forever after.Author Gerald N. Lund here masterfully weaves together historical reality and high-powered fiction. In his hands this combination seems to make the reader an eyewitness to the early scenes of the Restoration, thus deepening one's understanding and appreciation of those momentous events. The well-drawn plot and fictional characters present a moving, gripping story. Here are Benjamin and Mary Ann Steed, devoted to each other as man and wife, yet at odds over religion; Joshua, their volatile son, who rebels and heads for trouble; the sensitive Nathan, their second son, in whom Joseph Smith's message strikes a responsive chord; the beautiful Lydia McBride, who captures the hearts of both Joshua and Nathan.This book skillfully explores the inmost motivations of Joseph Smith and his early followers and the responses of typical contemporary families to the claims he made. These people come to life in this powerful historical novel, a story that captures both the heartache and the happiness that came in the wake of Joseph's experience with the pillar of light.

The Stone Traveler


Kathi Oram Peterson - 2010
    He’s not actually a member of the gang known as the Primes — all he did was spray paint some graffiti that caught their attention. In all honesty, ever since his dad and brother left, Tag just wants to be alone. And it’s certainly not his fault that the Primes nearly beat up his goofy cousin, Ethan. But his mom is furious about these gang-related activities and insists that Tag spend the whole summer at his grandpa’s lakeside cabin, which is not Tag’s idea of a good time. So he does what any self-respecting teenager would do: run away. But he doesn’t get far before he encounters three strange men carrying an even stranger object — a stone that glows with radiant light as bright as a thousand sparklers. Tag doesn’t steal the stone — not exactly. He feels like he is supposed to take it. But he doesn’t expect the stone to transport him through space and time to a place he’s never seen before — a place that looks an awful lot like the ancient lands described in the Book of Mormon. And he definitely doesn’t expect to join Sabirah, the entrancing daughter of Samuel the Lamanite, on a quest to rescue her father and brother from the evil King Jacob. And he absolutely doesn’t expect to be captured by Jacob’s minions and prepared as a sacrifice to the evil idol of the city. But just as Tag faces his death, a terrible storm begins to break, and the ground cracks into jagged pieces. And he’s not sure which event will impact his life more: his captor’s knife coming at his body, the violent tempest sweeping the land . . . or the men who later appear, glowing even more brightly than the traveler’s stone.

Another Chance


Candie Checketts - 2003
    A love story that's celebration of the gift of free agency

Evidence


Clair M. Poulson - 2007
    Now it's up to Sheriff Vince Hanks and his deputy, Peggy Smith, to unravel the mystery. But as they encounter unremitting obstacles in the investigation, they realize that no one is above suspicion.

Tempest Tossed


Josi S. Kilpack - 2004
    She’s on the fast track in her career and nothing will slow her down, not even falling in love with a man who holds the key to helping her find the peace she’s searched for all her life. With two failed marriages behind her it’s easy to be skeptical, but there is something about Tally that’s impossible to ignore. Janet decides to join her life to his, hoping the complications will work themselves out. But despite Tally’s determination to make their marriage work, Janet has secrets she is desperate to protect. Soon, she finds herself helplessly trapped within a prison of her own making. Overwhelmed by the harsh consequences of her decisions, she sees no point in trying any longer as Tally turns his back on her too. By the grace of God Janet is given a second chance, one more opportunity to resolve her past and develop faith for the future. Can she find her way back to the family she once had? Can she forgive herself for all she’s done? And most importantly, will the man she loves be able to trust her one last time?

Ariana: The Trilogy


Rachel Ann Nunes - 2008
    In the second volume, Ariana: A Gift Most Precious, Ariana's faith is tested as she faces life-and-death consequences of past choices. And in Ariana: A New Beginning, Ariana discovers that her reliance on the Lord and her love for her famiy can make the dramatic difference between triumph and tragedy. This rare and compelling series was originally published more than a decade ago and immediately established author Rachel Ann Nunes as one of the most popular romance writers in the LDS market.

Night on Lone Wolf Mountain and Other Short Stories


Jack Weyland - 1996
    What happens to them in their solitary camp is the subject of Night on Lone Wolf Mountain. That and seven other new stories by Jack Weyland are included in this volume. Jack Weyland knows what goes on in high school and how young people feel and act and speak. He knows how it feels when young parents misjudge your friends or act as though they don't trust you. He can describe what it is like to feel picked on or left out, and how it is when your leaders get on your case for not paying attention in church. But he also remembers how it feels to be young and full of energy, excited about being with friends, going to dances and activities, playing sports, and discovering you have a testimony. This book will take you to girls camp, the shopping mall, school and church- places you know all about. But what happens there will surprise and entertain you in these fun and thought provoking stories by a favorite LDS author.