Star Prophecy by Joan Sowards

The newest novel from Joan Sowards!! Awesome book!! I was able to read this book in its original draft and was totally amazed at the fresh perspective on an LDS Book of Mormon novel. It will be like nothing else you've ever read. 
Check out Joan's blog and her blog train. She is giving away 3 copies so see her blog to find out how to win! This book is a must read and will be enjoyed by both men and women-(not just a chick book!!
You can purchase it at your local LDS bookstore or online at Amazon. Check it out!

Book Review: Chocolate Roses

Chocolate Roses: a Jane Eyre parody by Joan Sowards
I have always felt that one of the tells of a classic story is that it can transcend all time. A Classic tale is the same basic story but in any time place,or in any place. Shakespeare is the most common example of how this can be done, although I'm not saying it has to be done exactly word for word like Shakespeare is often done, but that the story can be taken and placed into a modern situation and still be the same delightful beautiful story.
Chocolate Roses is an example of this. It takes the Classic tale of a girl who has had a hard life, falls in love with a man who she can't marry or be with and watch the story unfold. The ways that Joan Sowards takes the basics of the original story and places it into a modern world with all of our problems and joys. She does a brilliant job of paralleling the two stories and making it completely believable. Her characters are LDS, which is not over barring and would be just as cute, but maybe not as sweet, if the main characters weren't so rooted in the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. Joan Sowards not only wrote a great story, but she created lovable normal characters. Her main female Rose (the Jane Eyre character) is so normal and innocent that you can't help but love her. 
If you are a fan of Jane Eyre or just a fan of a good clean sweet romance story- this is a book for you.

Haunts Haven

Over the past few years I have been hearing about this book my mom has been working on. I had been asked to read a few sections to edit for her, but I had not read the whole book. She is now a published author. I got a copy of her book and FINALLY got to read it. First, understand how critical I am of LDS fiction. I have read very little that I feel is up to par enough to talk about. I gave up reading LDS fiction a couple years ago. But I made an exception for my mom's book. It was so good. I loved how she had so many little side plots that all fit together so well. It was so fun to read a story that was just clean- nothing to even make you uncomfortable. I'm not a huge romance reader, but this had just enough romance to keep a smile on your face, enough mystery to keep you guessing, and enough of the supernatural to make you ask yourself what you think and what you'd think if it was you.

It takes place a small Southern Arizona town, not far from where I live. I guess I'm a little bias but that is the starting of a great story. Add in a little fun clean romance, a stubborn ghost, and a who-done-it and you have Haunts Haven. I'd say more but I don't want to spoil the ending for you. Its available at any LDS bookstore and on Amazon. Take some time to add it to your Christmas wish list and to enjoy and fun LDS ghost story.