Infused with action-packed scenes and deep faith: My review of "If We Survive" by Andrew Klavan @DailyVineCA

about the book....

They came on a mission of mercy, but now they’re in a fight for their lives.

High schooler Will Peterson and three friends journeyed to Central America to help rebuild a school. In a poor, secluded mountain village, they won the hearts of the local people with their energy and kindness.

But in one sudden moment, everything went horribly wrong. A revolution swept the country. Now, guns and terror are everywhere—and Americans are being targeted as the first to die.

Will and his friends have got to get out fast. But streets full of killers . . . hills patrolled by armies . . . and a jungle rife with danger stand between them and the border. Their one hope of escape lies with a veteran warrior who has lost his faith and may betray them at any moment. Their one dream is to reach freedom and safety and home.

If they can just survive.

my review....

There's nothing I like better than a tautly written suspense novel that not only provides gripping entertainment, but leaves me deep in thought as well. "If We Survive" is one such book, a book that held me in its grasp from start to finish. Klavan writes with a sure hand, and his scenes are infused with action and descriptions that leap off the page. This is not a novel for the faint of heart, for it finds the characters fighting for their lives, facing death and moral dilemmas and looking in the face of evil, both human and otherwise. The scene involving the spider left me with chills! Klavan does an excellent job of getting into the head of Will Peterson, creating a teen who struggles with the insecurities all teens face and yet superbly rises to the challenge as well. Although I greatly enjoyed Will, my favourite character was actually Meredith, who simply stands out due to her depth of faith in God. Will says it best when he observes "And what Meredith knew, what Meredith had learned when her sister died, what her sister had taught her when she was dying, was that good things might happen to you in life or bad things might happen, sometimes terrible things, but no matter what happens, your soul is your own. It's in your power to point your soul toward the light of God, and no one and nothing - not even a man with a gun, not even death, not even the devil from hell himself - can stop you". Powerful words, indeed.

Although this book may be aimed at the younger audience, I thoroughly enjoyed it as well, and am certain that people of all different ages will enjoy the fascinating plot and the bite-your-nails action. In fact, young adult fiction doesn't get better than this. Grab a copy of your own. You'll be glad you did! 5 out of 5 stars.

A review copy was received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I was in no way compensated for this review.

 about the author....

Award winning author, screenwriter and media commentator Andrew Klavan is the author of such internationally bestselling novels as True Crime, filmed by Clint Eastwood, and Don’t Say A Word, filmed starring Michael Douglas. Andrew has been nominated for the Mystery Writers of America’s Edgar Award five times and has won twice. His books have been translated around the world. His latest novel for adults, The Identity Man, has been praised by Nelson Demille as “fast paced, intelligent and thought-provoking; a great read!” Television and radio host Glenn Beck says “Andrew Klavan never disappoints…one of the best illustrations of the power of redemption that I’ve ever read.” His last novel Empire of Lies was about media bias in the age of terror, and topped Amazon.com’s thriller list. Andrew has also published a series of thrillers for young adults, The Homelanders, which follows a patriotic teenager’s battle against jihadists. The books have been optioned to be made into movies by Summit Entertainment, the team behind the mega-successful Twilight film series.

Find out more about the book on the publisher website:   http://www.thomasnelson.com/if-we-survive-1.html

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