There You’ll Find Me by Jenny B. Jones

Review by Jill Williamson

When Finley Sinclair leaves home to study abroad in Ireland, her goal is to follow in her brother Will’s footsteps, using his journal as a guide. She wants to see the places Will saw, feel what he felt when he traveled through Ireland before he died. She’s hoping for closure, and an ending to the song she is composing.

But she meets Hollywood heartthrob Beckett Rush on the airplane—the last thing she needs, another guy who’s full of himself and drawn to trouble. But her lack of interest intrigues Beckett, and he makes her his assistant in exchange for his help as a tour guide in finding all the places in Will’s journal. But the pressure is too much on Finley. Why won’t God help her heal? Isn’t Ireland the place where she should find him?

Ah… very well done. Jenny B. Jones is a wonderful authors. I say it every time I read one of her books, but it’s true. This book hooked me in with its characters and its country (Ireland). It made me want to visit Ireland. It reminded me that everyone was young once, and we all have a past. I loved Finley and Beckett’s characters. But as this was a Jenny B. Jones book, I wasn’t surprised to find that I loved just about every character. This is a wonderful book. Highly recommended for all girl readers, no matter how old you are.

Age Range: 12 and up
Genre: contemporary
Part of a Series: A spin off novel from Jenny’s adult romance novel Save the Date
Pages: 320 pages
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Released: 2011

The Final Hour (Homelanders, book 4) by Andrew Klavan

Review by Jill Williamson

Charlie West is in prison, and not just some juvenile detentions center. He’s in Abingdon State Prison, a high security prison for the vilest offenders. And between the prisoners and the brutal guards, it looks like Charlie might be someone’s next victim.

But his memories are slowly coming back, and Charlie learns that a terrorist strike is coming soon. He has to do something, but what? No one will listen to a convict, all his allys are gone, and time is ticking away. But Charlie can’t give up. Not when lives are at stake.

Loved it! And I closed this book with a smile on my face, because these four novels really felt like one big story, and it was tough to wait for each next one. I loved the way Andrew Klavan told this tale, how he weaved it backwards and forwards with action and memories and mystery. It was very cleverly done. This is a GREAT series for boy readers. So if you love action and adventure novels, or if you’re looking for some books for a young man, look no further. This is the series. I highly recommend all four Homelander books.

Age Range: 12 and up
Genre: suspense/action adventure
Part of a Series: The Homelanders, book 4
Pages: 352
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Released: 2011

The Wishing Pearl by Nicole O’ Dell

Review by Jill Williamson

Olivia Mansfield has everything a girl could want. She lives in a mansion, has a rich stepfather, a mother who spoils her, and a wonderful big brother. But it’s all a mirage. Her stepfather’s abuse, her mother’s indifference, and nightmares of her real father’s death make Olivia’s live something she wants to get away from.

So when her friend introduces Olivia to the party scene, Olivia is only too happy to indulge in this means of escape. But one too many parties and the death of her friend lead Olivia to a girls’ home called Diamond Estates, her last hope at getting her life on track before she loses it.

Talk about your coming of age novel! Wow. This book sucked me in and didn’t let go. And when it was done, I was sad. I wanted to keep reading about Olivia’s life, all the way until she was a grandmother. Alas, the book stopped WAY before then. Ah well, it was worth it. Olivia’s story and her journey to find herself enthralled me. I was rooting for the truth to be revealed every step of the way. This is a wonderful book for young girls. I can’t wait to read the next one in the series!

Age Range: 12 and up
Genre: contemporary
Part of a Series: Book one in the Diamond Estates series
Pages: 368 pages
Publisher: Barbour
Released: 2011

The Merchant’s Daughter by Jill Williamson

Review by Jill Williamson

For years Annabel’s family shirked their duties and now that Lord Ranulf is moving to town, they must pay for their crimes. Unfortunately, the responsibility falls to Annabel. She must marry the evil bailiff or become Lord Ranulf’s servant. Choosing the lesser of two evils, she packs her bags and begins three years of indentured servitude.

But life with Lord Ranulf is not as horrible as she feared. Though the man has a horrible temper and is scarred and disfigured, he allows Annabel to read from the bible, something she has always dreamed of doing. But when Annabel is attacked and a man gravely injured, everything good hangs in the balance, including Annabel and Lord Ranulf’s futures.

Oooh, I love a good romance novel! And Melanie Dickerson writes very sweet romance novels. But they’re fairytales, and fairytales always include an evil villain and danger. The Merchant’s Daughter did not disappoint. I loved Annabel and Lord Ranulf’s characters. I loved the initial misunderstandings, and I especially loved how it all worked out in the end. If you love fairytale romances, this one is a must read.

Age Range: 12 and up
Genre: a fairy tale romance
Part of a Series: The second Melanie Dickerson fairy tale romance
Pages: 288 pages
Publisher: Zondervan
Released: 2011

 

Offspring by Scott Appleton

Click on the cover to read more reviews on Amazon.

Review by Jill Williamson

Upon the death of his wife, Ilfedo returns to find sea serpents attacking the Hemmed Land. He sets out with his comrades and the dragon’s daughters. Together they slay the creatures. In gratitude, the people deem him ruler of the Hemmed Land.

Ilfedo raises his daughter, Oganna, unaware that Specter watches over her in secret. Oganna grows into a compassionate and wise young woman who saves the dragon’s daughters from certain death and forges an alliance with a race of ancient and powerful creatures. But the Hemmed Land is invaded by an unknown enemy and, while Ilfedo readies his army to search out the enemy, Oganna leads her newfound allies ahead of him.

Appleton tells stories like no other. His epic story weaves generations of characters in a mystery of good versus evil. Ilfedo is a focused hero, and Oganna is a warrior. Offspring is a tale of wonder that will keep readers daydreaming about its imaginative characters, creatures, storyworld, and mystery long after they close the book.

Age Range: 12 and up
Genre: fantasy
Part of a Series: Book two of the Swords of the Six
Pages: 288 pages
Publisher: Living ink Books (AMG)
Released: 2011

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Jill Williamson is the author of the medieval fantasy novel By Darkness Hid. An avid reader, she started Novel Teen Book Reviews to help teens find clean and entertaining books to read and is excited with the new direction the site has taken. Jill also runs an online website for teen writers at www.teenageauthor.com where she enjoys helping new writers develop their skill. She and her husband have worked with teens in the youth pastor role for the past eleven years. You can learn more about Jill on her website at www.jillwilliamson.com.

Team Novel Teen Blog Tour: Lost in Dreams by Roger Bruner

Click to read reviews on Amazon.

Time for another Team Novel Teen blog tour! Today we are talking about the second Altered Hearts novel Lost in Dreams by Roger Bruner. See the end of this post for links to the other reviewers.

About Team Novel Teen: We are a group of bloggers dedicated to spreading the word about clean teen fiction. Check out other posts about Lost in Dreams by Roger Bruner by clicking on the links below, and check out www.NovelTeen.com for more information about Team Novel Teen.

The Librarian’s Bookshelf • Rachelle Rea • The Book Fae  • My Life with a Mission  • Katie McCurdy • Reviews by Jane  • Jill Williamson

 

Review: Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers

Click on the cover to read more reviews on Amazon.com.

Review by Jill Williamson

Michael Hosea is a simple farmer. But when he sees a prostitute in the city one day and hears God’s voice telling him to marry her, Michael knows he has to obey. But Angel has lived a hard life. Sold into prostitution as a little girl, she has no trust for any man, especially one who says God told him to marry her. But each time she sees Michael, he wears her down, chipping away at the hard shell she has put around her heart. But Angel doesn’t think she deserves anything good. Her guilt and shame are overwhelming. And she runs away.

Wowzers. This is such an amazing book! I knew that the story was inspired by the book of Hosea, so I knew a little about how things would play out. And I suspected a happy ending eventually. But it was still so wonderful and agonizing and entertaining to read it. My heart was broken for Angel, then broken for Michael when he starts to love Angel, then broken for them both when Angel runs away time and again!

I thought I knew how it was going to end. I thought I had it all figured out, but I didn’t see the final plot twist coming. I admit that I was a bit disappointed that my predicted plot twist didn’t happen, but that’s okay. The book was still wonderful. This is a book every girl should read. It’s a hair dark in the beginning and later with some of Angel’s memories of what happened to her as a child and later a prostitute, but none of those memories are shown on the pages. The book is clean, despite the heroine being a prostitute. Such a good book. Very highly recommended.

Age Range: 16 and up
Genre: historical romance
Part of a Series: No
Pages: 464
Publisher: Multnomah
Released: 1997—rerelease, 2010

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Jill Williamson is the author of the medieval fantasy novel By Darkness Hid. An avid reader, she started Novel Teen Book Reviews to help teens find clean and entertaining books to read and is excited with the new direction the site has taken. Jill also runs an online website for teen writers at www.teenageauthor.com where she enjoys helping new writers develop their skill. She and her husband have worked with teens in the youth pastor role for the past eleven years. You can learn more about Jill on her website at www.jillwilliamson.com.

Listen to the first chapter of Replication: The Jason Experiment on YouTube

As I prepare for the release of my next book, and since I have been podcasting my novel By Darkness Hid for free through my website, I thought it might be fun to podcast the first chapter of Replication, to give readers a sneak peek at my new book.

So I recorded it last week. But I don’t want to post the podcasted version until I finish reading By Darkness Hid, which won’t happen until mid-November. So I put together a YouTube video of the audio so readers could listen to the chapter that way.

Here is the first chapter of Replication: The Jason Experiment, which is now on pre-order sale in ebook and hardcover forms.

Enjoy!

 

Review: Spooky by Crystal Mazzuca

Click on the cover to read more reviews on Amazon.com.

Review by Jill Williamson

After her parents’ deaths, Stephanie is forced to enroll at Chambers Boarding School. But she can’t change who she is, and Stephanie worked undercover with her CIA parents all her life. So when some strange things start happening at Chambers, Stephanie can’t help but take a closer look. What’s harder for Stephanie, though, it just trying to be a normal teenage girl.

I enjoyed this book. The mystery was engaging, as were the subplots and characters. Stephanie was a spunky heroine with a strong voice that was easy to relate to. If you like reading books like Alex Rider and Gallagher Girls, you’ll enjoy this story. I can’t wait to see if there is a book two!

Age Range: 12 and up
Genre: mystery/suspense
Part of a Series: No
Pages: 231
Publisher: WinePress Publishing
Released: 2011

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Jill Williamson is the author of the medieval fantasy novel By Darkness Hid. An avid reader, she started Novel Teen Book Reviews to help teens find clean and entertaining books to read and is excited with the new direction the site has taken. Jill also runs an online website for teen writers at www.teenageauthor.com where she enjoys helping new writers develop their skill. She and her husband have worked with teens in the youth pastor role for the past eleven years. You can learn more about Jill on her website at www.jillwilliamson.com.

The Monster in the Hollows by Andrew Peterson

Click on the cover to read more reviews on Amazon.

Review by Jill Williamson

Janner and his family settle into life in the Green Hollows, but people don’t really accept them, especially the furry Kalmar, whom they think is a Fang. Janner must step up into his role as a Throne Warden to keep Kalmar from getting into a fight that could destroy their entire family. But there are mysteries, betrayals, and dangers lurking. Janner does all he can to watch over and defend his brother, but what he can’t manage to do is convince himself that Kalmar is innocent.

I love Andrew Peterson’s stories. He is a genius. His characters and dialogue are delightful. I cannot wait to see how this series will end. The only thing that felt off about this book was that—through most of it—it felt like its own story, like a standalone novel, separate from the first two books in the series. I enjoyed the book a great deal, and it all tied together nicely in the end, but I missed the overall plot of the series through most of this volume. If you haven’t read Andrew Peterson’s work, start with book one, On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness. They are fabulous.

Age Range: 12 and up
Genre: fantasy
Part of a Series: Book three in the Wingfeather saga
Pages: 348
Publisher: Rabbit Room Press

Released: 2011

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Jill Williamson is the author of the medieval fantasy novel By Darkness Hid. An avid reader, she started Novel Teen Book Reviews to help teens find clean and entertaining books to read and is excited with the new direction the site has taken. Jill also runs an online website for teen writers at www.teenageauthor.com where she enjoys helping new writers develop their skill. She and her husband have worked with teens in the youth pastor role for the past eleven years. You can learn more about Jill on her website at www.jillwilliamson.com.