Bloggin' 'bout Books: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS)

2026 Literary Escapes Challenge

- Alabama

- ~~Alaska~~ (1)

- Arizona

- ~~Arkansas~~ (1)

- ~~California~~ (7)

- ~~Colorado~~ (1)

- ~~Connecticut~~ (1)

- Delaware

- Florida

- ~~Georgia~~ (1)

- ~~Hawaii~~ (1)

- ~~Idaho~~ (1)

- ~~Illinois~~ (2)

- ~~Indiana~~ (1)

- ~~Iowa~~ (1)

- Kansas

- ~~Kentucky~~ (1)

- ~~Louisiana~~ (2)

- ~~Maine~~ (4)

- ~~Maryland~~ (1)

- ~~Massachusetts~~ (2)

- ~~Michigan~~ (2)

- ~~Minnesota~~ (2)

- ~~Mississippi~~ (1)

- Missouri

- ~~Montana~~ (1)

- ~~Nebraska~~ (1)

- Nevada

- New Hampshire

- ~~New Jersey~~ (1)

- New Mexico

- ~~New York~~ (4)

- ~~North Carolina~~ (2)

- North Dakota

- ~~Ohio~~ (3)

- Oklahoma

- ~~Oregon~~ (2)

- ~~Pennsylvania~~ (1)

- ~~Rhode Island~~ (1)

- South Carolina

- ~~South Dakota~~ (1)

- Tennessee

- ~~Texas~~ (3)

- ~~Utah~~ (1)

- ~~Vermont~~ (1)

- ~~Virginia~~ (1)

- ~~Washington~~ (1)

- West Virginia

- ~~Wisconsin~~ (2)

- Wyoming

- Washington, D.C.*

International:

- Australia (6)

- Austria (1)

- Canada (2)

- England (21)

- Fiji (1)

- France (1)

- Ireland (2)

- Italy (1)

- Mexico (1)

- New Zealand (1)

- Norway (1)

- Scotland (1)

- The Bahamas (1)

- Vatican City (1)

Mormon Mentions: Dusti Bowling

8:57 PM

If you haven't got a clue what a Mormon Mention is, allow me to explain: When I see a reference to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (known more commonly as the Mormons) in a book which was not written by a member of the church, I post it here. With commentary from Yours Truly. I'm no theologian, but I try to explain doctrinal issues as well as debunk myths and clear up misconceptions. Speaking of, I should probably make this crystal clear: I do not have horns. I do not belong to a cult. My dad only has one wife. As does my husband. And, yes, people really have asked me all of those questions. Just FYI: mainstream Mormons haven't practiced polygamy for more than 120 years.

Everybody got that? Great. Let's move on ...

In Dust by Dusti Bowling, the main character and her friends have this conversation about a video one of them watched:

"What was it about?" I asked.

"Mormyridae."

Nan and I looked at each other. "Mormon what?" she asked.

"Not Mormon." Dillon huffed. "Mormyridae."

I repeated the word. "Mormyridae. Mormyridae. How do you spell it?"

"M-O-R-M-Y-R-I-D-A-E."

"Good spelling word," I said.

"That's not why I thought you'd be interested."

"Well, what is it?"

"They're fish that produce electricity," he explained. "Also called elephant fish."

(Pages 177-78)

There's not much to say about this passage. It just made me chuckle!

Mormon Mentions: Libby Copeland

6:30 PM

If you're not sure what a Mormon is, let alone a Mormon Mention, allow me to explain: My name is Susan and I'm a Mormon (you've seen the commercials, right?). As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (commonly known as the Mormon or LDS Church), I'm naturally concerned with how my religion is portrayed in the media. Because this blog is about books, every time I see a reference to Mormonism in a book written by someone who is not a member of my church, I highlight it here. Then, I offer my opinion—my insider's view—of what the author is saying. It's my chance to correct misconceptions, expound on principles of the Gospel, and even to laugh at my (sometimes) crazy Mormon culture.

(Note: In 2018, Russell M. Nelson—president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—made an impassioned plea to members of the Church and to the media to always use the full and correct name of the Church instead of referring to it by its various nicknames. This led to the renaming of many Church entities, including its famous choir, which is now The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square. Although I have been trying to think up a clever new name for this feature that is more in line with President Nelson's request, for the moment it remains "Mormon Mentions.")

----

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is well known for its long-held interest in genealogy/family history, so it's no surprise that the Church is mentioned several times in The Lost Family by Libby Copeland:

"It matters deeply to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who their ancestors are because this knowledge allows them to carry out a grave responsibility, to save souls and ensure the sanctity of the family unit in the afterlife" (29).

- One of the most comforting doctrines taught by the Church is that families are forever, bound together both in this life and the next. Building temples, in which familial bonds are cemented through sacred covenants, is a priority because this eternal binding is of utmost importance to the leadership and membership of the Church. I love this video, which explains this better than I can:

"FamilySearch, though, is not a business. It is a massive project free to everyone, dedicated to the idea that we're all better off if we know our ancestors...[The Church] also runs the website FamilySearch.org, where you can search more than five billion records" (29).

- If you have any interest in family history, I strongly recommend visiting FamilySearch. It's run by the Church, but anyone can use its abundant free resources. If you need help navigating the site, let me know. I'm happy to help.

Books Read in 2026 (asterisks denote favorites)

1. Such a Clever Girl by Darby Kane (Jan)
2. When No One Else Will by Amanda Skenandore (Jan)
3. Atomic Habits by James Clear* [re-read] (Jan)
4. Murder on the Farm by Kate Wells (Jan)
5. Murder at Ochre Court by Alyssa Maxwell (Jan)
6. Not Dead Yet: The Memoir by Phil Collins* [audio] (Feb))
7. The Women in White by Sarah Pekkanen (Feb)
8. The Missing Half by Ashley Flowers (Feb)
9. One Big Happy Family by Jamie Day (Feb)
10. A Tour to Die For by Michelle Chouinard (Feb)
11. Bluebird by Sharon Cameron* [re-read] (Feb)
12. The Lake Escape by Jamie Day (Feb)
13. Treacherous is the Night by Anna Lee Huber [audio] (Feb)
14. The Last Resort by Erin Entrada Kelly (Feb)
15. The Missing by Kristen Landon (Feb)
16. Dark and Bright by Catherine Lyon (Feb)
17. The Wild Robot by Peter Brown* [audio] (Feb)
18. Boiled Over by Barbara Ross (Feb)
19. Some of Us Are Looking by Carlene O'Connor (Feb)
20. Coach by Jason Reynolds* [audio] (Feb)
21. The List of Suspicious Things by Jennie Godfrey (Feb)
22. The Claiming by Jasmine Warga (Feb)
23. Dark and Deep by Catherine Lyon (Feb)
24. Ours is a Tale of Murder by Nora Murphy (Feb)
25. Zoom With a View by Jess Cannon (Feb)
26. The Nowhere Child by Christian White (Feb)
27. An Ordinary Kind of Evil by Kelley Armstrong* (Feb)
28. Half a Soul by Olivia Atwater (Feb)
29. Murder at 30,000 Feet by Susan Walter (Feb)
30. Dive Bar at the End of the Road by Kelley Armstrong (Feb)
31. You Were Always Mine by Nicole Baart [audio] (Feb)
32. In Case I Go Missing by R.N. Swann (Mar)
33. A Lie for a Lie by Ren DeStefano (Mar)
34. Local Gone Missing by Fiona Barton [audio] (Mar)
35. Murder is a Piece of Cake by Valerie Burns [audio] (Mar)
36. Murder at the Dolphin Hotel by Helena Dixon (Mar)
37. Death at the Dinner Party by Ellie Alexander [audio] (Mar)
38. The Secret Lives of Murderers' Wives by Elizabeth Arnott (Mar)
39. A Holiday Homicide by Elile Alexander [audio] (Mar)
40. Summer's Never Over by Darby Bozeman (Mar)
41. The Body in the Woods by April Henry [audio] (Mar)
42. Every Borrowed Beat by Erin Stewart (Mar)
43. First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston (Mar)
44. Please Enjoy Your Stay by Tara Goedjen (Mar)
45. This Weekend Doesn't End Well for Anyone by Catherine Mack (Mar)
46. A Victim at Valentine's by Ellie Alexander [audio] (Mar)
47. Rock-Solid Relationships: Strengthening Personal Relationships With Wisdom from the Scriptures by Wendy Watson (Apr)
48. A Body at the Book Fair by Ellie Alexander [audio] (Apr)
49. Our Marriage is Murder by Carol Goodman (Apr)
50. A Spy in the House by Y.S. Lee (Apr)
51. Dear Mrs. Bird by A.J. Pearce [re-read] [audio] (Apr)
52. Live and Let Chai by Bree Baker (Apr)
53. Talking to Strangers by Fiona Barton (Apr)
54. The Rush by Beth Lewis* (Apr)
55. Not If I Save You First by Ally Carter [audio] (Apr)
56. Angels & Demons by Dan Brown [re-read] (Apr)
57. The Cry by Helen Fitzgerald (Apr)
58. Heiress of Nowhere by Stacey Lee (Apr)
59. The Murder at World's End by Ross Montgomery (Apr)
60. Weightless: A Doctor's Guide to GLP-1 Medications, Sustainable Weight Loss, and the Health You Deserve by Rocio Salas-Whalen (Apr)
61. Dust by Alison Stine (Apr)
62. What I Mean When I Say I'm Autistic by Annie Kotowicz (Apr)
63. The Cartographer's Secret by Tea Cooper [audio] (Apr)
64. A Cute Little Murder by Molly Harper (Apr)
65. Pretty Dead Things by Kelsey Cox (May)
66. Stabbed in the Baklava by Tina Kashian (May)
67. The Chambermaid's Key by Genevieve Graham* (May)
68. The River Knows Your Name by Kelly Mustian (May)
69. This Story Might Save Your Life by Tiffany Crum (May)
70. Dissection of a Murder by Jo Murray (May)
71. The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth* [re-read] (May)
72. Meet Your Baker by Ellie Alexander [re-read] (May)
73. Last One Out by Jane Harper (May)
74. Missing Molly by Natalie Barelli (May)
75. Family of Spies by Christine Kuehn (Jun)
76. A Map to Murder by Michelle Chouinard (Jun)
77. How to Kill a Crime Writer by Sarah Lotz* (Jun)
78. What We Did to Survive by Megan Lally (Jun)
79. Devils at the Door by Tessa Wegert (Jun)
80. The Chow Maniac by Vivien Chien (Jun)
81. My Husband's Wife by Alice Feeney (Jun)
82. The Secret Thread by Eve Chase (Jun)
83. Suddenly a Murder by Lauren Munoz [audio] (Jun)
84. The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown [re-read] (Jun)
85. The Hike by Lucy Clarke (Jun)
86. The Foundling by Ann Leary (Jun)
87. Her Royal Spyness by Rhys Bowen* (Jun)
88. Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth* [re-read] (Jun)
89. 100 Rules for Living to 100: An Optimist's Guide to a Happy Life by Dick Van Dyke (Jun)
90. You Let Me In by Lucy Clarke (Jun)
91. Anatomy of an Alibi by Ashley Elston (Jun)

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Mormon Mentions: Dusti Bowling

Mormon Mentions: Libby Copeland

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2026 Goodreads Reading Challenge

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2024 - Elementary/Middle Grade Nonfiction

2023 - Middle Grade Fiction

2022 - Middle Grade Fiction

2021 - Middle Grade Fiction

2020 - Middle Grade Fiction

Books Read in 2026 (asterisks denote favorites)