Meet Annie

First off I want to introduce myself. I am Deanne Blackhurst (Annie), creator and owner of the website LDSBookcorner.com. I’m a middle aged stay-at-home mom, from Pleasant Grove, Utah. I’m also an avid reader and have been for as long as I can remember with a wide range of taste in books.

The point in sharing this with you, is to explain that I am just an average reader. Not brilliant, not stupid just ordinary, but with a great love for the written word. I love nothing better than to curl up on the couch on a wintery afternoon and lose myself in an exciting adventure that some imaginative author has created for my benefit.

Sometimes I love the books I’m reading, sometimes not so much. But I can honestly say that I have never read a book that didn’t have several redeeming qualities even if I didn’t like it. And of course, the very best books are the ones that you can read and then reread again.

Over the past year I have been asked on occasion to review a new novel, and I have actually done a few. The trouble is, reviewing is so subjective and relies heavily on the tastes of the reader doing the reviewing. Is it even possible to judge a book without bringing in your own biases?

For example, I’m not a big romance reader. So if a story gets too heavy with the hot kisses and passionate glances, I get bored. On the other hand, I love a romantic thriller, where the thriller part is the potato and the romance part is the sour cream.

But not everyone has the same reading taste as I do. I have a daughter who always chooses the smallest baked potato and then drowns it in butter and sour cream. To me, that’s disgusting, but to her its heaven. And I have many friends who absolutely love the romance novels and can’t get enough of those broad biceps and toe curling passion.

Still, what is the point of a blog about books, unless I talk about books.

So, beginning next week, I will be sharing my thoughts on the books I am reading. And just so you know, I have developed a criteria for myself.

1. All books will be written by LDS writers.


2. I will not write about a book unless I have read it cover to cover. (There are some books that start out so-so and then improve with time, and other books that start out great and then fall short half way through.)


3. I will do my best to keep my comments balanced with both good and bad points


4. All comments I make are strictly my opinion, so please share yours.

I think this will be fun, and I encourage the writers of these books to participate as well.