Book Review - "Sun Tunnels and Secrets" by Carole Thayne Warburton

From Amazon.com:
"On a trip to the Sun Tunnels in the Utah desert, Norma and her sisters find a body on the side of the road. But this awful discovery turns out to be the least of their problems. Norma's husband just passed on, and she learns he kept a secret from her for sixty years. LaRue is keeping a secret from Norma. The sisters' young friend Tony is keeping a secret about his famous father, and Tony's mother is keeping a secret of her own. Tony is secretly in love with his friend Kelli, who recently escaped from a polygamist cult. And who is the mysterious young car thief with whom Norma feels a special connection? Everything converges in Grouse Creek at the Fourth of July celebration. Will secrets prove everyone's undoing? "

A group of sisters finds a body in the desert. A young girl escapes from a polygamous cult. A mysterious young man steals a series of cars while searching for his missing girlfriend, who is pregnant with another man's child. A cowboy nurtures a hidden crush. These characters meet in a small Utah town, and their relationships will be changed forever by secrets.

I really enjoyed this book. The author has created vivid characters who are entertaining, touching, and completely believable. I was sorry to see it end.

Book Review: "Oh, Say Can You See?" by L.C. Lewis

Oh, Say Can You See? is the fourth installment in L.C. Lewis' Freemen and Dreamers series. Although it continues the story of the American Revolution, it has been written as a stand-alone book. You will have no problem reading this book even if you haven't seen the previous works. But after you read Oh, Say Can You See?, you'll want to have the rest of the series.

The British have burned the capitol building, a rag-tag, untrained American army struggles against much better trained and equipped British soldiers. Baltimore will be the next target. Will it also fall to the enemy?
Francis Scott Key takes time from his diplomatic duties to pen an epic poem recording this important moment. Set to music, the anthem spreads across the infant nation and gives new life to the American struggle.

You will be drawn into the story by events, but want to continue to read because of the characters. L.C. Lewis weaves together historical figures and fictional characters in a masterful way that allows the reader to have a sense of what it was like to live during that critical time in American history. The author gives us a glimpse of a war that was deeply personal on many levels, and helps us understand the tremendous sacrifices made for our future.

My only challenge with this book was keeping it away from my college-age children long enough to read it myself.

Makes a great gift, and speaking of gifts, take a look at the contest posted on the sidebar to the left. Enter to win yourself a beautiful necklace designed for this book launch. Good luck!