"Crimson Eve" by Brandilyn Collins

I liked Crimson Eve by Brandilyn Collins because there was excitement and a fight for survival right from the start. It dealt with consequences of sin and showed how our actions can have an impact on others. Carla, the main character, is pursued by a hit man hired by someone in her past and goes on the run. She has kept a lot of secrets but the truth comes out eventually. Fantastic book that I think women would especially enjoy. This was hard to put down.  This is the third book in her Kenner Lake series that I highly recommend.

(Karen's Review April 2009)
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"Violet Dawn" by Brandilyn Collins

Violet Dawn by Brandilyn Collins is a double mystery! It has a murder mystery plot as well as a personal mystery plot. The author builds to a climax and then switches to another story line altogether and leaves the reader hanging. This pattern occurs throughout the book and kept me hanging on--kind of like a soap opera. It has both suspense and action that made me want to keep reading. I was hooked right from the start along with Leslie, the small town reporter looking for her big story. I recommend this to anyone who likes suspense or mysteries. 
(Karen's review April 2009)

Please tell us: What categories of literature do you like? What are you reading now? Who are your top five favorite authors? Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

"Cheer: Inside the Secret World of College Cheerleaders" by Kate Torgovnick

I'd give this book 10 stars if I could! Cheer: Inside the Secret World of College Cheerleaders is just an outstanding book! It tells the story of three cheerleading teams and what they have to go through. It made me really feel like I knew these people. It's a real page turner. I found myself cheering for them!! Superb job, Kate!!!

(Gerard's review 5/8/08)

"Pearl" by Lauraine Sneling

Pearl by Lauraine Sneling1930 story of teacher and hotel businesswoman. Teacher moves west and lives at hotel; teaches town’s children and falls in love with another boarder. All the workers at the hotel were prostitutes when it was a whorehouse and Ruby made it into a respectable hotel and promised her father she would take care of the girls.
 (Karen's review July 2004)

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Who are your top five favorite authors?  Have you read this one?  What did you think of it?

Mistaken Identity by Don and Susie Van Ryn and Newell, Colleen & Whitney Cerak

Mistaken Identity by Don and Susie Van Ryn and Newell, Colleen & Whitney Cerak is a fascinating nonfiction book about how the families of their two college daughters coped with the awful incident resulting in their identities being switched. The one daughter was killed in the accident while the other survived with extensive injuries. 

The parents of the one who was killed, Laura, thought the one in the hospital bed was their daughter and only found out after five weeks that she wasn't and that their daughter had really died. The parents of the one in the hospital, Whitney, were told she was killed in the accident and didn't know Whitney was actually alive until five weeks later.

Both were strong Christian families who relied on God to get them through and saw him provide for their needs.

Although I felt sadness for what the families went through, I was uplifted and encouraged in my own faith by all the scripture and their great Christian example. I'd say the moral of this is to go and make a positive ID yourself when you find out a family member was killed. Whitney's parents both just took the word of the coroner instead of checking out the body for themselves. 

I still don't really understand how Laura's parents didn't realize that it wasn't their daughter in that hospital bed all that time. Eventually, other visitors had doubts and when Whitney could communicate, she told them her name was Whitney.
(KAREN'S REVIEW:6/20/08)


WOW, what a book! I could go on and on about this book, but the main thing is both families' unwavering faith in the Lord. You will feel a wide range of emotions. Quick read, you get into it right away. I thank both families for sharing this story and their love of the Lord. Continued blessings from our Lord to all. Please read this awesome book, it will stay with you.

(GERARD'S REVIEW 6/15/08)