An Awesome Conference and Book Reviews!

I had such a great time at the ANWA Conference this past weekend.  I got to meet so many people that I'd only known on cyberspace until this point.  One of those people was Angela Morrison.  Angela asked me to review a couple of her books awhile ago and I loved them!!  It was great to meet her in person and attend one of her classes at the conference.  She is such an energetic person, it was easy to see how she can write such great books by drawing on her own life experiences.  Which is what her class was about, "Writing what you know".  She talked about taking what you know and making it even better with your imagination.  It was a great class.  But her books are even better.  Her first YA book was published with Razorbill (a division of Penguin).  We're talking major publishing company here.  And the best part?  Her book, Taken by Storm,  has an LDS main character. She does an amazing job of writing an LDS teenage girl that feels ostracized because of her beliefs and also strengthened at the same time.  The introduction of a boy that tempts her with his love brings tumult into her life and her hormones.  Angela does a great job of showing the struggles LDS teenagers have in today's world and is able to make the story come to life.  I would recommend the book for girls 15 yrs and up...maybe 16.  Sexual attraction is being approached in many YA novels these days and usually not in ways that uphold LDS or Christian beliefs.  Angela brings a new perspective to this national market and I, for one, am very appreciative!  But don't take my word for it.  Watch her trailer, then buy her book!




Her next book in the series, Unbroken Connection, is touching and has left me holding my breath for the next one.  Unbroken Connection is self-published, as she didn't buckle under the pressure of her publishing company to take out something she felt was important to her book. She is truly an amazing person and storyteller.  I can't wait to read her other book as well, Sing Me to Sleep.

Thanks again to Angela for allowing me to review her books and for the wonderful class she gave at the conference!!