Book reviews of Book One "Twin Lakes"
These are people who read a copy of book one that my son has.
They are associates of his. I do not know these people personally.
4-10-2016
Mr. Huls
I have read your wonderful book "Twin Lakes" and I thoroughly enjoyed it and I admire the fact that you have found the chance to start chasing a life long dream of yours.
So in short, I hope to one day to sit and share your stories and your dream as a truly talented writer. I cant wait for the rest of the books.
Thank you for taking the time to bring joy to this world of more downs then ups.
God Bless your family.
A truly wonderful rollercoaster ride cant wait for book two, love the Nemekans.
Justin Wheeler
Lovington, New Mexico
05-16-2016
Dear Stephen Huls,
Thank you for sending your book its a very fascinating well made book. I've talked to your son about the theories you added to the book and they are all very interesting. I must say you lit a good fire underneath me and I hope you send parts of the second book. A little slow to start but once it gets started you can't put it down. Keep it up.
Sincerely
Mario Sandoval
Lovington, New Mexico
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4 Stars **** Reviewed by Liz Konkel for Readers' Favorite 2020
Pure Heart Guide by Stephen Huls is the first book in the Twin Lakes
series. It's that time once again for the annual family gathering that
brings everyone together for a grand ole time. A happy reunion
then becomes filled with chaos, danger, and unusual discoveries.
When siblings Levi and Sariah discover a letter warning of an old
curse, the two are driven by curiosity to explore a cave. This has
them stumbling into an unexpected danger when their presence
catches the attention of secret beings hidden deep within the
mountain. Their disappearance draws their family into the middle of
the strange happenings that have haunted the mountain for years
and into strange experiments that could change the world.
Meanwhile, Ben receives a box left to him by his grandfather. If he
chooses to open it, he'll be responsible for the contents. The
mysterious box he inherits sparks his own personal journey to
discover his destiny.
As the family investigates the disappearance of Levi and Sariah,
Huls explores their perspective as a way to get to the truth behind
the strange happenings in the mountain. The mysteries of the
mountain are reminiscent of folktales with legends of dangerous
creatures and strange happenings woven into the history of this
region. The unusual names add to the science fiction aspects.
Several perspectives are seen throughout to show the worry of the
family, the fear of experiments, the beings in the mountain, and the
various paths the characters find themselves treading. Having each
perspective gives the story a well-rounded journey and allows each
character to have a moment to show their motivation, heart, and
conflict. Stephen Huls blends mystery, science fiction, and folktales
in a fascinating story which weaves between a family's search for
answers, scientific experiments, and secrets of the mountain. True
Heart Guide takes readers on an adventure with family ties, aliens,
and a mysterious destiny. Perfect for mystery and sci-fi fans
Pure Heart Guide: Twin Lakes Book 1 is a work of fiction in the
action and adventure sub-genres, and was penned by author
Stephen Huls. Written for middle grade and young adult reading
audiences, this exciting story focuses on mysterious paranormal
and science fiction goings-on as the series begins in the Beaver
Mountains of Utah. We meet the enigmatic children of the Adair
family and their peculiar family friend, Fairsong Tree Talker. From
here the action begins as secret plots, kidnappings, and a quest for
vengeance intertwine with the quiet summer holiday that the family
had planned. What results is the opening to an exciting series of
tales.
Author Stephen Huls has crafted an engaging and engrossing series
opener in a novel that really introduces the characters deeply and
sets up the story and the paranormal concepts well. There is always
something to keep young readers interested in this plot structure,
with many different strands of action forming and sudden,
unexpected new hurdles for the heroes to overcome. The creation
and worldbuilding around the Nemekans were interesting, and I’ll
be excited to see where that goes as the series develops. One of
the things which I really enjoyed about this work was the
imagination and hard work that has gone into the descriptive
formation of it, which brings the world to life in the reader’s mind.
Overall, I would certainly recommend Pure Heart Guide to fans of
family-friendly paranormal adventures that are sure to go on and
get better and better.
5 Stars ***** Reviewed by Ruffina Oserio for Readers' Favorite 2020
Pure Heart Guide is the first book in the Twin Lakes series by
Stephen Huls. A family reunion turns into an adventure fraught with
danger when two kids from the Adair family go missing. Camping in
the Twins Lake in Beaver, Utah area is supposed to be a fun
experience for the family until seventeen-year-old Sariah and
fourteen-year-old Levi are taken. The captor has links with a race
called Nemekans. A search party is set up to uncover the location of
the missing children. It is a dangerous adventure to an underground
world and it is interesting to follow the characters as they deal with
complex issues and conflicts. Can the Sheriff’s men and his search
party locate the missing children and can the family and friends find
peace?
The plot is littered with strong points that are carefully crafted to
augment the intrigue in the story. Right from the opening pages, a
mysterious letter already gives hints of intrigue and lurking danger.
While the author uses this to build a link between the present and
the past, this still also reinforces the mystery of the cave,
something that young Sariah and Levi are fascinated about, and
one that draws them into danger. Character handling is wonderful
and readers will be thrilled with characters like old Fairsong and his
origins as he provides support to the search party. The interactions
between the young characters and their explorative and expansive
personalities are ingeniously written. I enjoyed the way the author
writes about the setting, with the mountains, the caves, and the
tunnels, a complex world for a great story to happen. The reader is
quickly absorbed into the treacherous underground paths and
tunnels. Pure Heart Guide is a novel filled with entertainment and
wisdom; a story that beautifully captures the world of youngsters
trapped in the cunning of the old. It is a story with deep layers and
great potential for entertainment.
5 Stars ***** Reviewed by Gobi Jane for Readers' Favorite 2020
Pure Heart Guide is the first book in the Twin Lakes series by
Stephen Huls and a work of great entertainment for readers who
enjoy surprises in plot and a great setting. The Adair family decides
that their summer family reunion be experienced as camping in
Twin Lakes in the Beaver Mountains of Utah, but when seventeen year-
old Sariah and fourteen-year-old Levi go missing, a search
party is set up to locate the missing youngsters. But it is just the
beginning of an adventure that will take them through an
underground and mysterious world filled with dangers and intrigue.
Hidden beneath the mountains is a world that might also hold clues
to the disappearances that have occurred in these parts and a
world that opens to war against the humans. Will the search bear
the expected fruit of finding the missing children and can life be the
same again for this family and their friends when war breaks out?
There is so much to expect in this novel. First, Stephen Huls creates
strong and sophisticated characters. I loved the Old Fairsong Tree
Talker who leads the search party, an enigmatic character whose
presence raises so many questions. The conflict builds up quickly,
from searching for missing children to war with the Nemekans.
There are hints of science fiction and fantasy. The setting
contributes hugely to the conflict. The camping ground has led the
characters to a point that is the only link to an underground world
and the author does an impeccable job in describing the cave and
the tunnels. Pure Heart Guide is a powerful story and I enjoyed the
narrative voice, the cunningly written plot, and the memorable
characters. The setting itself is a world that readers will want to
explore. This book is gorgeous and some of the characters possess
wisdom that will make readers think a lot
