Search This Blog







2025 Cover Lovers Reading Challenge (hosted by Yours Truly)

2025 Literary Escapes Challenge
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California (1)
- Colorado (3)
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida (1)
- Georgia (1)
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa (2)
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine (1)
- Maryland
- Massachusetts (1)
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York (2)
- North Carolina (1)
- North Dakota
- Ohio (1)
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island (1)
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas (1)
- Utah
- Vermont (2)
- Virginia (1)
- Washington (1)
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin (1)
- Wyoming
- Washington, D.C.* (1)
International:
- Australia (1)
- Canada (1)
- England (3)
- France (1)
- Puerto Rico (1)
- Scotland (1)


2025 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge



2025 Build Your Library Reading Challenge









Saturday, December 31, 2016
Mormon Mention: Laura McNeal
6:52 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.
--
In The Incident on the Bridge by Laura McNeal, police officer Elaine Lord says this about her partner:
"Skelly was just like her nephews. Money was for buying nice cars, plain and simple. She hadn't wanted to work with him at first because of his various childlike views and because he was a twenty-five-year-old Mormon the size of Sasquatch. It had turned out, though, that he gave her a little of the old hope and ardor. Not a lot of hope and ardor, but a little" (38).
-- Not only did I not expect a Mormon Mention to crop up in a YA mystery novel set in California, but I was surprised by its positive nature. After a little sleuthing (including an email to the kind and patient Laura McNeal), I discovered that the author grew up LDS. Although she now considers herself a secular humanist, she respects her Mormon family and friends and "the grace and strength their faith gives them." This respect is definitely reflected in her portrayal of Skelly.
--
In The Incident on the Bridge by Laura McNeal, police officer Elaine Lord says this about her partner:
"Skelly was just like her nephews. Money was for buying nice cars, plain and simple. She hadn't wanted to work with him at first because of his various childlike views and because he was a twenty-five-year-old Mormon the size of Sasquatch. It had turned out, though, that he gave her a little of the old hope and ardor. Not a lot of hope and ardor, but a little" (38).
-- Not only did I not expect a Mormon Mention to crop up in a YA mystery novel set in California, but I was surprised by its positive nature. After a little sleuthing (including an email to the kind and patient Laura McNeal), I discovered that the author grew up LDS. Although she now considers herself a secular humanist, she respects her Mormon family and friends and "the grace and strength their faith gives them." This respect is definitely reflected in her portrayal of Skelly.
Labels:Laura McNeal,Mormon Mentions
2 comments:
Comments make me feel special, so go crazy! Just keep it clean and civil. Feel free to speak your mind (I always do), but be aware that I will delete any offensive comments.
P.S.: Don't panic if your comment doesn't show up right away. I have to approve each one before it posts to prevent spam. It's annoying, but it works!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments
(Atom)


Reading
Finlay Donovan Is Killing It by Elle Cosimano

Listening
If Walls Could Talk by Juliet Blackwell


Followin' with Bloglovin'

-
Time Travel Thursday33 minutes ago
-
25. Daughters of Shadong36 minutes ago
-
-
-
#Throwback Thursday ~ September9 hours ago
-
-
A Review of Apis15 hours ago
-
-
Fast & Reckless18 hours ago
-
Daily Mindfulness By Alex Smith-Powell21 hours ago
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London1 day ago
-
Top Ten Tuesday #3112 days ago
-
Clown in a Cornfield by Adam Cesare2 days ago
-
-
-
-
A Slash of Emerald by Patrice McDonough2 days ago
-
-
-
Sunday Salon: March 9, 20254 days ago
-
-
-
-
Some February reading2 weeks ago
-
-
One Big Happy Family by Susan Mallery2 weeks ago
-
-
-
-
I'm Still Reading - This Was My October3 months ago
-
Review: The Duke and I6 months ago
-
Girl Plus Books: On Hiatus7 months ago
-
-
-
What Happened to Summer?1 year ago
-
-
-
-
-
-
Are you looking for Pretty Books?2 years ago
-
-
-
-
-
-

Grab my Button!


Blog Archive
- ► 2021 (159)
- ► 2020 (205)
- ► 2019 (197)
- ► 2018 (223)
- ► 2017 (157)
- ▼ 2016 (157)
- ► 2015 (188)
- ► 2014 (133)
- ► 2013 (183)
- ► 2012 (193)
- ► 2011 (232)
- ► 2010 (257)
- ► 2009 (211)
- ► 2008 (192)


2025 Goodreads Reading Challenge
2024 - Elementary/Middle Grade Nonfiction
2023 - Middle Grade Fiction
2022 - Middle Grade Fiction
2021 - Middle Grade Fiction

2020 - Middle Grade Fiction

I'm wondering if you've read "The Practice House" yet?
ReplyDeleteNo, I still haven't. It's definitely on my TBR list, though. Have you read it? What did you think?
Delete