Team Novel Teen Blog Tour: Found in Translation by Roger Bruner

Today is a special day! It’s the first ever Team Novel Teenblog tour! A few members of our Team Novel Teen crew of teen fiction lovers have read the book Found in Translation by Roger Bruner and are reviewing it on several different blogs today.

Team Novel Teen is a group of bloggers dedicated to spreading the word about clean teen fiction from a Christian world view. Check out other posts about Found in Translation by Roger Bruner by clicking on the links below, and check out the Team Novel Teen tab for more information about what Team Novel Teen is all about.

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

The Christy Miller Collection: Volume 4 by Robin Jones Gunn

Click on the cover to read more reviews on Amazon.

Review by Jill Williamson

This is a three-books-in-one volume that includes books 10, 11, and 12 of the Christy Miller series. I’ve given a review of each story below.

Book 10

A Time to Cherish
Christy, her friends, and her aunt and uncle take a houseboat vacation to Lake Shasta. She and Todd finally agree to start dating. And while this seems to make their relationship even better, it ruins everything for Katie and Doug, who now feel like third wheels. How is a girl to behave when she has a boyfriend and her best friend doesn’t? And when Katie does find Michael—a guy who isn’t a Christian—how is Christy supposed to be a good friend? By telling Katie the truth or by giving her the freedom to crash and burn? Christy doesn’t know.

This was a great story. After so much time that Christy had patiently waited for Todd, I was thrilled that they were finally together. But I could feel her pain with the situation with Katie. When our dear friends are in relationships that are destructive, it’s hard to know what to do or say. With Todd’s nearly always perfect advice, Christy learned how to love her friend no matter what.

 

Book 11
Sweet Dreams
In this story, Katie breaks up with Michael, and Christy tries to learn how to cope with someone who is constantly depressed. It seems like everything she does to try and help Katie is the wrong thing to do.

This book was one of my favorites! And it was so bittersweet. Christy learned from Katie’s pain and was obedient to God, and it was beautiful! And sad. I cried, I admit it. But I have hope for the future. J

 

Book 12
A Promise is Forever
This book fast-forwards a year. Christy is halfway through her freshman year in college. She, Doug, Tracy, and Katie travel to London for a mission trip. Christy is searching for a calling, to discover what she should do with her life. What she finds instead is total trust in God.

This book was another one of my favorites, though I have to admit, I was getting pretty grouchy alongside Christy when I realized what was happening with Doug. Still, this book was a beautiful example of how we—with our selfish emotions—need to get out of the way and let God work. I almost cheered out loud when I got to the end. You just have to read these books yourself to see what I mean.

 

I very highly recommend this entire series for girls ages 12 and up. I adore these books. Christy is a lovely example of a Christian teen, who struggles with almost everything you can imagine. There is no better set of books out there to help young girls prepare for life. I will be putting this entire series in the church library. Someday, my little girl will read them. And while I wait for my girl to grow, I will go read Christy and Todd: the College Years. J

Age Range: 12 and up
Genre: Contemporary
Part of a Series: Volume four in the Christy Miller Collection
Pages: 478
Publisher: Multnomah
Released: (1993-1994) Re-released three-volume book: 2006
Released: 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.comwhere 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.
 

Praying for Your Future Husband by Robin Jones Gunn and Tricia Goyer

Click on the cover to read more reviews on Amazon

Review by Jill Williamson

In this book for girls and young women, Robin Jones Gunn and Tricia Goyer tell their stories of love. They talk about how most girls dream of meeting “The One” and how many of us get sidetracked along the way and sometimes create nothing but heartbreak for ourselves. The book is cleverly divided into chapters of what to pray for you and your future husband, which also telling personal stories from Robin, Tricia, other girls, and some boys as well.

I enjoyed reading the testimonies of girls who had prayed for their future husbands and how those prayers had been answered, sometimes very specifically. How I wish I could go back to my own high school years and have found this book in my house. What a difference it would have made in shaping my hopes and dreams. I highly recommend this book for any girl/woman who is has started dating or who is thinking about it. Mothers could read it with their daughters. And youth pastors or their wives could read it with their teen girls. Prayer is powerful.

 

Age Range: 14 and up
Genre: non fiction
Part of a Series: no
Pages: 207 pages
Publisher: Multnomah
Released: 2011

Released: 2011 (re-released in 2006)

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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 atwww.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 atwww.jillwilliamson.com.

Review: Risky Business by Nicole O’Dell

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

Review by Jill Williamson

This is a two-books-in-one volume that is the second volume in Nicole O’Dell’s series Scenarios- Interactive Fiction for Girls. Read each story, then choose what the main character will do next by choosing one of two alternate endings. I highly recommend this series to all girls. These are fun stores with relatable characters that give the reader a chance to see each side of a major choice. I’ve given a review of each story below.

Magna 

Molly and her friends want to find a part time job to earn extra cash and a discount on great clothes. But Molly is the only one of her trio that gets hired at Manga, the coolest clothing store ever. At first everything is going great. Molly is really good at her job and quickly gets more responsibility. But some girls at school try to bully her into giving her special deals and then her best friends ask her to do something she knows is wrong. What will Molly do?

You decide.

Whether Molly chose to break the law or stand against her friends, she was still Molly. There were consequences to both choices, and some consequences were harder to live through than others, but the story wasn’t preachy. It was honest. So even in the ending where Molly chose to break the law, there was still redemption, and it was neat to read how she dealt with such humbling circumstances.

Making Waves

An avid lake swimmer, sophomore Kate Walker tries out for the swimming team. Not only does she make the team, she makes varsity and becomes the best swimmer on the team. Her coach talks with her about the future and the possibilities of college scholarships. Kate is excited, but her new schedule has her so busy, it’s hard to keep up. Some of the other girls on the team share their secret with Kate: coffee and energy drinks. Kate knows that her coach probably wouldn’t like them drinking so much caffeine, but it’s legal, so it’s okay, right? But as the season progresses to the state championship and the opportunity to set a new record and impress a college scout, Kate is beyond stresses out. When her teammates offer her a way to get through the day that Kate knows is illegal, what will she do?

You decide.

In both endings Kate was able to push through the consequences and find redemption. The enormity of the choice she faced played out in both endings and showed how much power one right or wrong choice can make in a person’s life.

Age Range: 8 and up
Genre: contemporary
Part of a Series: Scenarios- Interactive Fiction for Girls, books 3 & 4
Pages: 384
Publisher: Barbour
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.comwhere 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.

Three Novel Teen Authors Publish with Zonderkidz

Click on the cover to preorder on Amazon.com.

Three of our Novel Teen authors have new books coming out from Zonderkidz–three months in a row! Congrats, ladies!

First, releasing in November of 2011, is Melanie Dickerson’s second fairy tale romance, The Merchant’s Daughter. Loosely based on Beauty and the Beast, Annabel Chapman is forced to work as an indentured servant at the manor house of Lord Ranulf. The new lord is said to be beastly in appearance and temperament, but Annabel’s greater fear is Bailiff Tom, a perverse man who has made unwelcome advances upon her in the past. As she works closely with Ranulf, she begins to feel safe and protected, but will she realize the calling of her heart before it’s too late?

Then in December, just in time for Christmas, is Jill Williamson’s Replication: The Jason Experiment will release. In this book, Abby Goyer is forced to move to rural Alaska when her father unexpectedly takes a job in a remote laboratory called Jason Farms. Suspicious of her father’s decisions, she investigates and finds more than what she was looking for when a strange boy shows up at her door. Martyr, one of hundreds of identical clones, escaped from the underground lab at the farm with one wish: to see the sky before he fulfills his purpose and “expires” on his eighteenth birthday. Abby helps Martyr see God has a purpose for his life, one that may be different than what the scientists originally planned for him.

And to start off the new year with a bang, in January of 2012, the first of Heather Burch’s Halflings trilogy will release. Here is a bit about Halflings, book one: In the first book of the Halfling Trilogy, Nikki Youngblood discovers she’s the central force of a madman’s plan, and turns to three half-angel boys for protection. With the Halflings, she’s completely safe. Everything except her heart. And Mace’s soul. Falling for him could ensure his eternal ruin.

Review: Double Take by Melody Carlson

Review by Jill Williamson

This book follows the stories of two girls. Madison Van Buren is rich, lives in Manhattan, and is tired of trying to please everyone in her life. Anna Fisher is an Amish girl who has been dreaming of Jacob, the boy she loved who left the community. The girls meet in a small town, notice that they look identical, and decide to switch places. So Madison puts on Anna’s Amish clothing and gets into the buggy with Anna’s uncle, off to visit Anna’s aunt for the week. And Anna puts on Madison’s fancy jeans and takes a bus to Manhattan, hoping to find out where Jacob is living now.

Yes. The plot is totally predictable and has been done to death—and the girls adapted a bit too easily to their circumstances—but this was still a fun read. I read the story in a day and was entertained as always by Melody Carlson’s storytelling. It was neat to get a fresh view of two different worlds: to see a simple, Amish life through the eyes of someone not Amish, and to see a somewhat “normal” teen’s life through the eyes of someone who was Amish. Interesting and fun, even if the plot wasn’t the most original.

Age Range: 12 and up
Genre: contemporary, Amish
Part of a Series: No
Pages: 271
Publisher: Revell
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.comwhere 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.

Review: Life in Spite of Me by Kristen Jane Anderson with Tricia Goyer

Review by Jill Williamson

Kristen Anderson thought that this world would be a better place without her. In this book, she tells her story of how she tried to end her life by lying in front of an oncoming train. She should have died. But she didn’t. And as her broken body slowly healed, God healed her heart as well, showing her the purpose he had planned for her life.

This story amazed me. But at the same time, it didn’t surprise me. God uses what he must to bring us into his arms. I’m thrilled at what he has done with Kristen’s life so far. I praise him for the way her story is changing lives of broken people. Kristen’s story is a wonderful testimony of God’s love. This book is a quick read; I read it in an afternoon.  And the story will encourage you to think about what matters most.

Age Range: 16 and up
Genre: memoir/inspirational
Part of a Series: no
Pages: 209
Publisher: Multnomah
Released: 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.comwhere 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.

Review: Swept Away by Nicole O’Dell

Review by Jill Williamson

This is a two-books-in-one volume that is the third and final volume in Nicole O’Dell’s series Scenarios- Interactive Fiction for Girls. Read each story, then decide what the main character will do next by choosing one of two alternate endings. I highly recommend this series to all girls. It’s a fun story to read for entertainment and neat to see two sides of one choice. I’ve given a review of each story below.

High Stakes 

Best friends Amber and Brittany are invited into competition with one another. The one with the best grades and attendance at the end of senior year wins a car! The only problem is that Amber has been secretly competing with Brittany for years. Her best friend has everything: the perfect house, rich family, nice clothing. But Amber feels that her family’s situation is less than ideal. She wants to win that car more than anything. So much so that when she is given the opportunity to cheat, she seizes the chance, hoping a perfect test score will secure her win. Brittany doesn’t need the car anyway. But then the school administration accuses Brittany of cheating. What will Amber do? Will she confess and save her best friend from being falsely accused? Or will she keep quiet and accept her dishonest winnings?

You decide.

This one was a tough story about friendship. As smart as Amber was, I couldn’t believe she cheated! But I do know how easy it is to get caught up in a goal—so much so that winning seems like everything. The alternate endings in this story were interesting. I liked one of them better than the other, but you’ll have to give the book a read to choose which ending you liked best.

Essence of Lilly

Lilly is sick of all the bickering around her house. Her mom and Stan are always arguing. Lilly doesn’t understand why her mom puts up with Stan and his temper. The one wonderful thing in Lilly’s life is her boyfriend Jason. He has been her best friend for as long as she can remember. He never fights with her, and he always understands just what she needs. But when Lilly starts spending more time alone with Jason, he begins to pressure her to do things they’ve never done before. His behavior frustrates her, but if she loves him, why shouldn’t she do those things? A night alone with Jason at his house puts her to the ultimate test. Will she go home? Or will she stay the night?

You decide.

Ug. This story was painful! It was well-written and engaging, but I worried for Lilly as I read the story and both endings. It’s so easy for a girl to fall into this trap without realizing what is coming later on. Nicole O’Dell portrayed an all-too-familiar scenario. This one is a must read for every girl. I do hope you girls check it out.

Age Range: 10 and up
Genre: contemporary
Part of a Series: Scenarios- Interactive Fiction for Girls, books 5 & 6
Pages: 377
Publisher: Barbour
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.

Review: A Sword in the Stars by Wayne Thomas Batson

Review by Gillian Adams

When former assassin Alastair Coldhollow sees the legendary sword appear in the stars, he believes that his quest to proclaim the arrival of the Halfainin–the long promised hero–is about to be fulfilled.  There’s just one problem.  He can’t seem to find the Halfainin!  Not only that, but he suddenly finds himself playing nursemaid to an abandoned baby.  And to top it all off, the past he tried so hard to bury is slowly but surely catching up with him.  Danger lurks over Myriad.  Mysterious midnight murders and an enemy invasion lead to a kingdom that is arming for war.  And yet, the greatest danger always comes from within…

Will the Halfainin arrive in time to save Myriad?

The title of this book and the premise captured my attention at once.  I found the story engaging, the plot intriguing, and the action–in typical Batson style–kept the story moving at all times.  Alastair, the main character, earned my sympathy and respect as he battled to free himself from his past.  

The first in The Dark Sea Annals, Sword in the Stars comes to a satisfying conclusion while at the same time forcing you to wait in eager anticipation for the second.  Batson builds a beautiful world and writes descriptions and battles that you can see as if on camera.  Myriad is quite large, however, and at times I wished there had been a map so I could better picture what was going on.  

The only difficulty I had while reading the book was keeping track of the vast number of characters from the nine different races of Myriad.  While having to keep turning to the character sheet at the front of the book was distracting, it didn’t take too much away from the actual story!

Recommended for anyone who loves an exciting fantasy tale filled with epic battles, creatures, betrayals, and victories!  

Age Range: 12-16
Genre: fantasy
Part of a Series: The Dark Sea Annals, book 1
Pages: 400
Publisher: AMG Publishers
Released: 2010

Review: Frenzy by Robert Liparulo

Review by Jill Williamson

We last left our heroes stranded in Atlantis, of all places! And that is exactly where book six of the DreamHouse Kings series picks up. And really, what more can I say? It’s a non-stop adventure to the very end, which I enjoyed immensely. Mr. Liparulo did an excellent job of tying up the series in a satisfying way. If you love these books, you will be satisfied. You will smile when you turn that last page. Well done. A highly recommended series. If you haven’t read them…what are you waiting for! Support clean teen fiction and go buy some books, already!

Age Range: 12 and up
Genre: fantasy
Part of a Series: DeamHouse Kings, book 6
Pages: 326 pages
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Released: 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.