"Holy Joe!" is a thought provoking and enjoyable read describing Joseph Smith and his adventures leading to the formation of the Mormon church. The novel depicts Joseph and his transformations as he leads his new church from New York, Ohio, Missouri, and Illinois. Chapters are clearly written and enjoyable in their descriptions. The author included a final section discussing aspects of Smith's life that many readers may wonder about as they read. Many will appreciate the clever dialogues and descriptions contributing to chapters describing his life.

Emily T.

Holy Joe! Prophet, Seer, and Revelator is a historical and biographical fiction book. It is based on the life of the founder of the church and the events related to it. Joseph Smith, the main protagonist of the story, is a farm boy. People call him a 'money-digger' as he uses his stone to find lost things. The story is set in 1805, in New York City. As he finds out about lost treasures, he gets famous. Some people even get against him for fooling people regarding finding lost items. Gradually, the story takes a turn. The transition from a farm boy to a prophet takes place. The Mormon Church gets established. The book describes Joseph's adventures and his roller coaster ride throughout his life. How does he turn from a simple boy to a prophet? Go and find out! The best thing about this book is the author's ability to make the reader feel as if they're living in the early 1800s. The witty dialogues and perfect character development are worth noting. The language is pretty easy to understand and clear. It was a really adventurous life that Joseph lived. There is also a separate section in the last about a few major events throughout his life that may have questioned the reader's minds. Although I absolutely loved reading this book, I think atheists or people who aren't religious might really enjoy reading it. Overall, it is absolutely an amazing book. I will rate this book 5 out of 5 stars. Except for an error or two, I could not find any more errors, which means it's an exceptionally well-edited book. The story line is well written, and the plot is amazing. I will recommend this book to all the historical fiction lovers out there. People looking to read an inspirational biography will surely love this book. Religious people looking forward to reading a thought-provoking book will love it!

Aditti Mehta On-line Book Club Reviewer

I find this fictional novel of Joseph Smith interesting in two ways. First, I found enjoyment in understanding something about how the Mormon faith came to be. Second, I found it interesting how history repeats itself, how seemingly good and honest people can be so easily lead by faith without questioning their leader. This book is a moral lesson to all who read it. God’s words when spoken by man are spoken for the benefit of the man. Beware!

John G.

I was intrigued from the beginning after I learned that Mormonism (a truly large religious empire today) started from a man believing in mere stones and other highly respected men did not question Joseph’s judgement, but rather dedicated themselves to Joseph and his absurd theories. And even more intriguing is that Joseph continues to captivate people long after his death as millions are still dedicated to him, including the author who dedicated her life to recreate his story. Highly recommended for history buffs and those interested in learning the background of Mormonism.

Sandra Green

I don’t like to read history and generally don’t choose historical fiction, either, but Holy Joe! held me. Just Judy has pulled together a mass of historical material from various viewpoints and come out with a very believable, balanced, and fascinating version of Joseph Smith’s life and the early history of the Latter Day Saints. The book is fiction, but it is clearly based on careful research (check out the bibliography) and is not adorned with fictitious characters or subplots. It sticks to what could realistically have happened, based on the evidence. Unlike docudramas that use “based on a true story” to swing off into wild tales, Holy Joe! is more of a “true story based on what’s available.” I highly recommend it.

Cara Snyder