Mistaken Identity: Two Families, One Survivor, Unwavering Hope

Title: Mistaken Identity: Two Families, One Survivor, Unwavering Hope
Author: Don & Susie Van Ryn; Newell, Colleen & Whitney Cerak
Pages: 288
Price: $15.99
ISBN: 1439153558

Having "lived through this" via news and reading the blogs, I had wanted to read this book when it first came out, then somehow forgot about it. When I was in Barnes & Noble a couple weeks ago, I saw it when Becky and I were looking though several shelves of books. On one side was Glenn Beck's latest book, on the opposite side of the aisle was "Mistaken Identity".

The first several chapters were impossible to put down. I read through them somewhat quickly. There were several parts where I was forced to take a break because it was just so heartbreaking.

After Whitney's funeral, the pace was much slower, and my interest in the book faded a bit. I kept waiting for them to discover that it wasn't really Laura in the hospital bed. So many signs pointed to it not being Laura. I'm sure that it's much easier to look back or be the "outsider looking in."

The plot starts to quicken again after "Laura" is moved to a rehab facility in Michigan. I could feel my heart start to sink, knowing what's coming, but wondering how it would all unfold.

Heavy with Christian themes. If you wouldn't normally get a book out of the "Christian" section or don't particularly like Christian reading material, this probably isn't the book for you. You can't just skim through a Bible verse at the beginning of the chapter. According to the notes from the authors, the whole point of this book wasn't to clear up the how the girls got mixed and stayed that way for 5 weeks, but to share their love of God and how, even in tragedy, He was faithful.

I have since passed the book off to Scoopie, who will pass it off to Lorie. Then, it gets mailed to Michelle.