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

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.

Review: The Truth of the Matter by Andrew Klavan

Review by Jill Williamson

Charlie West finds the mysterious Waterman and follows him, only to get kidnapped and thrown in the trunk of a car!

That’s right. It’s more non-stop action and adventure in this third Homelander novel. And this one has been my favorite book so far in the series. We find out a lot of good stuff, answers we—and Charlie—have been desperate to learn. I read this one in just a few hours, and sadly, now I have to wait until August for the final book to release. It’s going to be a long wait. If you haven’t read these yet, I strongly suggest you pick up all three copies to read this coming summer, just in time for book four to come out. Fun stuff. Highly recommended.

Age Range: 12 and up
Genre: suspense thriller
Part of a Series: The Homelanders, book 3
Pages: 352 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.

Review: Invasion by Jon S. Lewis

Review by Jill Williamson

Everything changes for surfer boy, Colt McAlister when his parents are killed in an auto accident. He has to move from California to Arizona, to live with his grandfather. He settles into school, makes some new friends, but some strange occurrences draw him into a mystery. What if someone killed his parents? With his new friends, Colt sets off to learn the truth, but what he discovers will change the way he sees the world forever.

This was a fun new teen novel with a spy kid thread. Kind of an Alex Rider meets Men in Black. I enjoyed the storyworld that Jon S. Lewis created for us. I liked Cole, Grandpa, and the other teen characters. The mystery was interesting, and there is lots of lose threads for future volumes. I didn’t like the fact that Cole and disobey Grandpa, the police—whoever he wants—without any consequences. There’s a lot of that going on in teen novels today, and it bugs me. Yeah, this is a fun book with a real comic book-like feel to it, but I’d still like to see some character’s take responsibility every once in a while and grow a bit. Maybe in one of the next books.

Age Range: 12 and up
Genre: fantasy
Part of a Series: C.H.A.O.S, book 1
Pages: 336 pages
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
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: Renegade by Ted Dekker

Review by Jill Williamson

Billos, having entered one of the lost books, shows up in a foreign land called Paradise, Colorado. A creepy guy named Marsuvees Black gives him strange new powers and sets him on a quest. Meanwhile, Darsal and Karas set off to rescue Billos. They follow him to Paradise, but when they find him, he’s in the middle of a battle and doesn’t want to leave.

I’m torn about this one. I found it the weirdest Lost Book yet. I was kind of excited to see some of the parallels with Showdown, since I’d read that book a long time ago. But Billos just bugged me the entire book. I mean, we the reader know Marsuvees Black is a bad guy. So I kept thinking the whole time, “Why can’t Billos see this?” Some of the characters just felt a little too flat, I guess. Still, the book was entertaining overall. If you love Dekker’s work, I’m sure you’ll love Renegade. Plus you’ll get a few more answers to the puzzle of Dekker’s storyworlds. So I think you’ll be entertained.

Age Range: 12 and up
Genre: fantasy
Part of a Series: The Lost Books, book 3
Pages: 278 pages
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Released: 2008

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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: Whirlwind by Robert Liparulo

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

Review by Jill Williamson

David and Xander continue their quest to find their mom, searching the passages in their magical home. This time they follow Phoebus to his homeland, a place they never dreamed really existed. This gets David and Xander in all kinds of trouble.

This was a fun read but probably my least favorite of the series so far. Allow me to explain. This six-book series is really one big fat story. So book five reads like you’re really close to the end, but not close enough to be satisfied, which I suppose is the point. Whirlwind itself is the first three-quarters of an adventure that David and Xander embark upon, and you don’t get to find out how it ends until you read book six, which I did right away. *grin* So, if you’re going to read Whirlwind, be sure to have Frenzy close by. And if you haven’t read any of these, be sure to start with book one: House of Dark Shadows. This series needs to be read in order. Fun stuff.

Age Range: 12 and up
Genre: fantasy
Part of a Series: DeamHouse Kings, book 5
Pages: 314 pages
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Released: 2009

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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.