Brandilyn Collins is an award-winning and best-selling novelist known for her trademark Seatbelt Suspense®. These harrowing crime thrillers have earned her the tagline “Don’t forget to b r e a t h e…”® Brandilyn’s first book, A Question of Innocence, was a true crime published by Avon in 1995. Its promotion landed her on local and national TV and radio, including the Phil Donahue and Leeza talk shows. Brandilyn is also known for her distinctive book on fiction-writing techniques, Getting Into Character: Seven Secrets a Novelist Can Learn From Actors (John Wiley & Sons). She is now working on her 20th book.
In addition, Brandilyn’s other latest release is Final Touch, third in The Rayne Tour series—young adult suspense co-written with her daughter, Amberly. The Rayne Tour series features Shaley O’Connor, daughter of a rock star, who just may have it all—until murder crashes her world.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Torn from the front lines of medical debate and the author’s own experience with Lyme Disease, Over the Edge is riveting fiction, full of twists and turns—and powerful truths about today’s medical field.
Janessa McNeil’s husband, Dr. Brock McNeil, a researcher and professor at Stanford University’s Department of Medicine, specializes in tick-borne diseases—especially Lyme. For years he has insisted that Chronic Lyme Disease doesn’t exist. Even as patients across the country are getting sicker, the committee Brock chairs is about to announce its latest findings—which will further seal the door shut for Lyme treatment.
One embittered man sets out to prove Dr. McNeil wrong by giving him a close-up view of the very disease he denies. The man infects Janessa with Lyme, then states his demand: convince her husband to publicly reverse his stand on Lyme—or their young daughter will be next.
But Janessa’s marriage is already rocky. She’s so sick she can hardly move or think. And her husband denies she has Lyme at all.
Welcome to the Lyme wars, Janessa.
“A taut, heartbreaking thriller. Collins is a fine writer who knows how to both horrify readers and keep them turning pages.”
–Publishers Weekly
“Tense and dramatic. Holds its tension while following the protagonist in a withering battle.” –NY Journal of Books
“A frightening and all-too-real scenario. Very timely and meaningful book.” –RT Reviews
“If you know someone who suffers from Lyme, you need to read this compelling novel.” –Lydia Niederwerfer, founder of Lyme-Aware
Over the Edge is somewhat different than the other books I’ve read by Brandilyn Collins (and I think I’ve read them all). Using her fertile imagination, Collins has taken her very real life experience with Lyme disease and turned it into another one of her trademark Seatbelt Suspense novels. In many ways, Over the Edge may be more frightening than any of her other books simply because it details a nightmare that could strike any one of us at any time. And the medical system that most of us trust to have our best interests at heart may just let us down.
When I learned that this book was to be different from her others, I was afraid I might not like it. That fear was put to rest before I finished the first chapter. Brandilyn has what it takes to hold my interest no matter what she writes. The book description and book trailer above give sufficient information so I won’t elaborate and take a chance on being a spoiler. Just take my word when I say that Over the Edge is a must read book. It might even be one to share with your doctor.
Despite the fact that A Place of Peace is very similar to many of the other popular Amish themed books on the market, it was easy to read and had a fairly good plot. Most of the story centered on Miriam, a young woman who had left the Amish after she was blamed for the death of a baby and subsequently learned that her fiance Timothy was seeing another woman behind her back. After learning of her mother’s death, Miriam returned to her hometown for the funeral, hoping to renew her relationship with her family. Naturally, she encountered Timothy frequently.
This story made several twists and turns as secrets of the past were revealed. Eventually both Miriam and Timothy learned that each had been told lies about the other. Unfortunately that did not stop either of them from continuing to make poor decisions. At times I grew frustrated with just how stubborn and silly they both were acting. I also wondered how anyone could make such drastic decisions based on what they were told by one person.
As in most books of this genre, the prodigal Amish character finally decides that Amish life is the only life for them. I can understand somewhat the feeling of being a part of two very different worlds but not really fitting in either. I suppose the place of our roots may have the strongest call on us which would explain the decision to return to the Amish life. I just wish the authors wouldn’t imply that the Amish way of life is superior.
There are frequent scenes with vivid descriptions of food that are very tempting. Fortunately, the author has included a number of recipes for the dishes mentioned in the book; however none of them are appropriate for my current diet.
This book was provided for review by the Amazon Vine Program.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Take a trip to Bird-in-Hand, Pennsylvania, where you’ll meet the women of the Kauffman Amish Bakery in Lancaster County. As each woman’s story unfolds, you will share in her heartaches, trials, joys, dreams … and secrets. You’ll discover how the simplicity of the Amish lifestyle can clash with the ‘English’ way of life—and the decisions and consequences that follow. Most importantly, you will be encouraged by the hope and faith of these women, and the importance they place on their families. Miriam Lapp, who left the Amish community of Bird-in-Hand three years ago, is heartbroken when her sister calls to reveal that her mother has died suddenly. Traveling home to Pennsylvania, she is forced to face the heartache from her past, including her rift from her family and the breakup of her engagement with Timothy Kauffman. Her past emotional wounds are reopened when her family rejects her once again and she finds out that Timothy is in a relationship with someone else. Miriam discovers that the rumors that broke them up three years ago were all lies. However, when Timothy proposes to his girlfriend and Miriam’s father disowns her, Miriam returns to Indiana with her heart in shambles. When Miriam’s father has a stroke, Miriam returns to Pennsylvania, where her world continues to fall apart, leaving her to question her place in the Amish community and her faith in God.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Amy Clipston is the author of the bestselling Kauffman Amish Bakery novels. She has a degree in communications from Virginia Wesleyan College and currently works for the city of Charlotte, North Carolina. Amy lives with her husband, two sons, and four spoiled-rotten cats. Visit her on the web at www.amyclipston.com.
When Ada Wentworth accepted a position as a lady’s companion in Hickory Ridge, Tennessee, she planned for it to be a stepping stone toward her dream of owning her own hat shop. To her surprise, not only was the climate much different than her Boston home, but anti-Yankee sentiments were still prevalent in the area well after the end of the Civil War. And elderly Miss Lillian – well she was what they called a real pistol and expected far more from her than Ada had anticipated. And then there was Miss Lillian’s nephew Wyatt. If Ada hadn’t already been burned once, she might be just a little bit attracted to the man.
A well paced and compelling plot, realistic and appealing characters, and a charming setting kept me turning the pages of Beyond All Measure. The historical background added extra dimension to the narrative, especially the suspenseful elements generated by Klan activity. This story has it all – plenty of drama, action, conflict, mystery and danger tempered with a good measure of humor, friendships, faith, and romance. I thoroughly enjoyed Beyond All Measure and look forward to future installments to the Hickory Ridge Romance series.
A digital copy of this book was provided for review by BookSneeze.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Unless she can trust God’s love to cast out her fears, Ada may lose the heart of a good man.
Ada Wentworth, a young Bostonian, journeys to Hickory Ridge, Tennessee, in the years following the Civil War. Alone and nearly penniless following a broken engagement, Ada accepts a position as a lady’s companion to the elderly Lillian Willis, a pillar of the community and aunt to the local lumber mill owner, Wyatt Caldwell. Ada intends to use her millinery skills to establish a hat shop and secure her future.
Haunted by unanswered questions from her life in Boston, Ada is most drawn to two townsfolks: Wyatt, a Texan with big plans of his own, and Sophie, a mulatto girl who resides at the Hickory Ridge orphanage. Ada’s friendship with Sophia attracts the attention of a group of locals seeking to displace the residents of Two Creeks, a “colored” settlement on the edge of town. As tensions rise, Ada is threatened but refuses to abandon her plan to help the girl.
When Lillian dies, Ada is left without employment or a place to call home. And since Wyatt’s primary purpose for staying in Hickory Ridge was to watch over his aunt, he can now pursue his dream of owning Longhorns in his home state of Texas.
With their feelings for each other growing, Ada must decide whether she can trust God with her future and Wyatt with her heart.
Before returning to her writing roots in historical fiction, Dorothy Love published twelve novels for young adults. Her work has garnered numerous honors from the American Library Association, the Friends of American Writers, the International Reading Association, the New York Public Library, and many others. The Hickory Ridge Novels mark her Christian fiction debut.
Unlike most historical fiction that is written from an adult point of view, How Huge the Night views life in Nazi occupied France through the eyes of young teens whose lives have changed forever. Featured characters include:
Julien who has had to leave friends and his beloved Paris to move to the small country village of Tanieux where his father grew up. Despite his family history, Julien has struggled to be accepted by the other boys his age.
Samuel whose parents have sent him to live with Julien’s family to protect him from the Nazis. Having seen firsthand the cruelty of the Nazis, Samuel fears for his parents and for the Losier family. The fact that he is Jewish and was born in Germany makes his life at school miserable.
Nina and Gustav, two young Jews who have fled Austria at their father’s death to escape the Nazis. Their journey to safety was hampered by the loss of their money, lack of food and shelter, and violent encounters with others along the way. Their dramatic arrival in Tanieux challenged Julien, Samuel, and the other villagers to decide whether to do what was right.
Told with poignant realism, How Huge the Night spotlights the thoughts, emotions, and reactions of these young people as they struggle to understand why God would allow such horrific things to happen to innocent people. And in the midst of their struggles, they are given a chance to respond. This story takes the characters through a gamut of emotions from despair to hope, from anger to compassion, and finally to an effective faith.
How Huge the Night is a story that will stay with the reader for a long time and is a must read for those who love history.
Learn about an exciting promotional contest and see what other bloggers have to say about How Huge the Night HERE.
This book was provided for review by LitFuse Publicity.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Fifteen-year-old Julien Losier just wants to fit in. But after his family moves to a small village in central France in hopes of outrunning the Nazis, he is suddenly faced with bigger challenges than the taunting of local teens. Nina Krenkel left her country to obey her father’s dying command: Take your brother and leave Austria. Burn your papers. Tell no one you are Jews. Alone and on the run, she arrives in Tanieux, France, dangerously ill and in despair.
Thrown together by the chaos of war, Julien begins to feel the terrible weight of the looming conflict and Nina fights to survive. As France falls to the Nazis, Julien struggles with doing what is right, even if it is not enough-and wonders whether or not he really can save Nina from almost certain death.
Based on the true story of the town of Le Chambon-the only French town honored by Israel for rescuing Jews from the Holocaust-How Huge the Night is a compelling, coming-of-age drama that will keep teens turning the pages as it teaches them about a fascinating period of history and inspires them to think more deeply about their everyday choices.
Heather Munn was born in Northern Ireland and grew up in southern France where her parents were missionaries like their parents before them. She has a BA in literature from Wheaton College and now lives in a Christian intentional community in rural Illinois, where she and her husband, Paul, host free spiritual retreats for the poor, especially those transitioning out of homelessness or addiction. When not writing or hosting, she works on the communal farm.
Lydia Munn, daughter of missionary parents, grew up in Brazil. She received a BA in literature from Wheaton College, and an MA in Bible from Columbia Graduate School of Bible and Missions. With her husband, Jim, she has worked in church planting and Bible teaching since 1983, notably in St. Etienne, near the small town in the central mountains of France which forms the background of How Huge the Night. The Munns now live in Grenoble, France.
A Heart Divided is the first book I’ve read by Kathleen Morgan so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I was delighted to find it to be a well written story with appealing characters and a plot that kept me turning the pages.
Both the hero and heroine, Cord and Sarah were innocent victims of a two decade long feud that had raged between their families. When Cord catches Sarah on Wainwright property while her father and brothers rob his home, he decides to hold her captive until the sheriff is back in town. Sparks fly between them in more ways than one during their forced encounters and gradually they find themselves loving their enemy.
A Heart Divided is filled with drama, conflict, action, mystery, romance, and even a little humor. Realistic examples of family loyalty and dysfunction are balanced with a theme of faith and forgiveness. As can be expected in a book of this type, everything turns out well in the end but what a twisted and interesting path it takes to reach it.
I would recommend A Heart Divided to those who enjoy historical romance novels. I enjoyed it enough that I have already obtained a copy of the first novel in a previous series.
Available May 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
This book was provided for review by
Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
A Family Feud Threatens Sarah Caldwell’s Dreams For a Better Life…
Could Love Be Her Salvation?
Sarah’s jumbled thoughts gradually righted themselves. No matter what she had promised her mother, she could do nothing for her father unless he chose to change. Indeed, she was just as likely to sacrifice her own life and happiness – and that of her little brother’s – and still not get her father to give up his hopeless quest.
After a brief respite from writing, award-winning author Kathleen Morgan pens a masterpiece novel set against the backdrop of the beautiful Colorado Rockies. A Heart Divided (ISBN: 978-0-8007-1884-8, May 2011, $14.99) will capture readers with a saga of family feuding, abandonment, intriguing love, betrayal, and forgiveness.
It is 1878. The Caldwells and Wainwrights have been feuding for twenty-seven years. The patriarchs of each family will not let the feud end; their hearts are bent on destruction. Sarah Caldwell has misgivings when her father pressures her into distracting a ranch hand while he and her brothers rob the Wainwright ranch. When it becomes clear that hand is actually Cord Wainwright, Sarah realizes she needs to lay low. But Cord spots her in town and, with the sheriff away, makes a citizen’s arrest, dragging her off to the Wainwright ranch until the sheriff’s return. As the family feud continues to smolder, Cord and Sarah make a most inconvenient discovery–they are falling in love. Can they betray their families for love? Or will their families betray them?
In a powerful and historically authentic love story, Morgan explores themes of family loyalty, self-determination, what it meant to be a hero in the Old West and, above all, how love can change everything.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Kathleen Morgan is the award-winning author of many novels, including those in the bestselling Brides of Culdee Creek series. She lives in Colorado with her husband.
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Brandilyn Collins is an award-winning and best-selling novelist known for her trademark Seatbelt Suspense®. These harrowing crime thrillers have earned her the tagline “Don’t forget to b r e a t h e…”® Brandilyn’s first book, A Question of Innocence, was a true crime published by Avon in 1995. Its promotion landed her on local and national TV and radio, including the Phil Donahue and Leeza talk shows. Brandilyn is also known for her distinctive book on fiction-writing techniques, Getting Into Character: Seven Secrets a Novelist Can Learn From Actors (John Wiley & Sons). She is now working on her 20th book.
Torn from the front lines of medical debate and the author’s own experience with Lyme Disease, Over the Edge is riveting fiction, full of twists and turns—and powerful truths about today’s medical field.
MY REVIEW:
